Official newsletter of the
Pennsylvania Judicial System

S P E C I A L   E D I T I O N ,   O C T O B E R   2 0 2 2

In Remembrance of 
Chief Justice Max Baer

In Remembrance of 
Chief Justice Max Baer

On the first of the month, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court 

sadly confirmed the sudden and tragic passing of Chief Justice 

Max Baer who died at his home near Pittsburgh at 74 years old.

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A lasting legacy

Chief Justice Baer , born David Max Baer, served 
on the Court since 2003, becoming the state’s 
57th chief justice in 2021 and leaving a legacy 
that will long be remembered. A committed 
and loving husband, father and grandfather, his 
vibrant energy will remain a force of goodness for 
everyone who had the pleasure to meet him. 

He would say, “All you try to do is the right 
thing…and how can it be a bad job if all you try to 
do is the right thing all day every day?”

A large part of his eternal memory will be his 
efforts to better protect and care for dependent 
children across the state through his initiative to 
create the Office of Children and Families in the 
Court (OCFC).

Something Chief Justice Baer believed in deeply 
and instilled in his children and grandchildren – 
“For the next generation, we will show up.”

Recalling their father’s legacy at his service last 
week, the Chief’s sons said he believed that 
champions were made when no one was looking 
– and that their father always showed up – for 
his wife, Beth, children, grandchildren, friends, 
colleagues, and the people of Pennsylvania.

He was proud of many things; more than 
anything – his family. But he also had a soft spot 
for babies, an example of which could be found 
in his Pittsburgh office where he had a bulletin 
board of every baby born to someone in his office 
(including some puppies).

Not surprising, given his love for his own family, 
that he would love others and show it in his work. 
When he loved, it was unconditional.

Chief Justice Baer revolutionized the process 
to better serve families, believing  that if you 
love children, you must try to help their parents. 
When and if that couldn’t work, other parental 
figures had to be found – he hoped within their 
extended family. He believed very much in safe 
family members as a way of reducing trauma for 
children and allowing children a connection to 
their heritage.

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The judicial reforms that Baer instituted in 
Allegheny County were nationally recognized 
and replicated in family courts throughout the 
state and country. His vision extended beyond 
Allegheny County as he ascended to the 
Supreme Court and continued his passion for 
children and families, leading the Court with the 
utmost collegiality, trust and professionalism. 

He was immensely proud of the state’s child 
welfare reform work and greatly admired and 
supported the judges overseeing dependency 
court. As such, he would never take credit 
himself, but instead would say all the credit 
belongs to all of the judges, attorneys, child 
welfare professionals and everyone else who 
was willing to examine their practice and make 
it better.

The success of the Children’s Roundtable 
structure, including the local Children’s 
Roundtables, the Leadership Roundtables and 
the State Roundtables is due in large part to 
Justice Baer’s belief and leadership. He wasn’t 
shy about praising the members of those 
groups – who were responsible for the real 
change happening in Pennsylvania to better 
help children and families.

As the justice of longest and continuous service 
on the Court, now-Chief Justice Debra Todd 
offered her deepest condolences to Chief 
Justice Baer’s family, friends and colleagues on 
behalf of the Court, explaining how tremendous 
of a loss this is for the Court and all of 
Pennsylvania.

“Pennsylvania has lost a jurist who served the 
Court and the citizens of the Commonwealth 
with distinction,” Chief Justice Todd said. 
“Chief Justice Baer was an influential and 
intellectual jurist whose unwavering focus was 
on administering fair and balanced justice. He 
was a tireless champion for children, devoted to 
protecting and providing for our youngest and 
most vulnerable citizens.”

“His distinguished service and commitment 
to justice and fairness spanned his decades 
on the bench – first as a family court judge 
in Allegheny County and eventually as 
administrative judge in family court before 
being elected to serve on the Supreme Court,” 
she said.

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Looking back

After graduating from  the Linsly Military Institute in 
Wheeling and then  the University of Pittsburgh in 1971, 
Justice Baer obtained his J.D. from Duquesne University 
School of Law in 1975.

He served as deputy attorney general of Pennsylvania from 
1975-1980 then held a private law practice for nine years 
prior to being elected as an Allegheny County common 
pleas judge in 1989.

Among his many honors and awards throughout his notable 
legal career include the following:

•  Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s Adoption 

Advocate of the Year (1997)

•  Robert S. Steward Award for Distinguished Service to 

Pennsylvania Families (1998)

•  Child Advocacy Award for Legal Contributions 

Advancing the Welfare of Our Nation’s Children (1999)

•  Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Child Advocate of the 

Year (2000)

•  Pennsylvania’s Council of Mediators, Most Valuable 

Peacemaker (2004)

Chief Justice Baer loved his family, helping children and 
his job as a Supreme Court justice – and there is no better 
way to show him in action and doing what he loved than 
through a selection of pictures memorializing his life and 
what he lived for.

PLAY                   VIDEO

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