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Pennsylvania Justice of the Supreme Court

Description of office: The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth and the oldest appellate court in the nation. The Supreme Court’s administrative powers and jurisdictional responsibilities are vested with the seven-member court by the Pennsylvania State Constitution and a collection of statutes known as the Judicial Code. The justice with the longest continuous service on the Supreme Court automatically becomes chief justice. Administratively, the courts within the Unified Judicial System are largely responsible for organizing their own staff and dockets; however, the Supreme Court has several committees and boards responsible for writing and enforcing rules for judges, attorneys, and litigants to ensure an efficient and fair judicial review. Annually, the seven justices receive over 3,000 requests for appellate review. Term: 10 yearsSalary: $215,037Vote for ONE.

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    Maria McLaughlin
    (Dem)

Biographical Information

What can you do, both on and off the bench, to ensure that all individuals have equal access to justice?

What can you do, both on and off the bench, to ensure an equitable and fair court?

County Philadelphia
Education Penn State 1988. Delaware Law School at Widener University 1992
Qualifications Current Judge on our PA Superior Court; Served 6 years as Judge, Court of Common Pleas; Chief and ADA, Phila District Attorneys Office; Rated Highly Recommended for the Supreme Court by the PBA
campaign website http://judgemclaughlin.com
Along with being our highest appellate court, The Supreme Court overseas our statewide court system and legal community. As such we have the opportunity to set rules, educate the legal community and create special court programs dealing with human services issues like substance abuse & mental health challenges, veteran’s issues & initiatives focused on autism. All geared toward providing fair treatment and equal access for people with unique circumstances.
As a lawyer & a judge I have always worked to ensure everyone who comes into a courtroom has an opportunity to be heard and the law applied without bias. This is the cornerstone of our legal system. As a Justice I will not waiver from that driving principle. My work on the bench and in my life will always reflect my dedication to fairness and equality.