Official newsletter of the
Pennsylvania Judicial System

Issue 6, 2021

In this issue

Read about the recently-released civics education 
toolkit, county court highlights, a department spotlight 
on Judicial District Operations and Programs, upcoming 
AOPC legal staff transitions and more.

1

Legislative roundup by Damian J. Wachter, Esq.

The House and Senate wrapped up their voting calendars for 2021 on Dec. 15.  Session 
The House and Senate wrapped up their voting calendars for 2021 on Dec. 15.  Session 
schedules for 2022 for the House
schedules for 2022 for the 

 have been posted.
Senate have been posted.

 and Senate

House and 

Judicial Ethical Rules and Lobbying Reform
Judicial Ethical Rules and Lobbying Reform

Kayden’s Law and Custody
Kayden’s Law and Custody

House Resolution 114 urges the Pa. Supreme Court to 
modify its administrative rules to require the posting of 
statements of financial interest on a publicly accessible 
Internet website. It also codifies more restrictive policies 
on reporting gifts, transportation, lodging and hospitality; 
imposes a one-year prohibition on attorneys who leave 
government service and lobby that same governmental 
body; and end the practice of jurists receiving honoraria.  

The resolution includes a general request that the 
Court conduct a full examination of ethical and financial 
reporting requirements for jurists and staff to determine 
whether additional amendments to promote greater 
transparency and avoid impropriety are necessary.

The prime sponsor of the resolution, Speaker Bryan Cutler, 
focused his floor remarks on the one-year lobbying freeze 
on lawyer-lobbyists – a moratorium that currently applies 
to non-lawyer lobbyists.  The resolution was adopted by 
the House 200-0 and Senate action is not required.

House Bill 1607 amends the Lobbyist Disclosure Act to 
prohibit Commonwealth entities including the General 
Assembly, the judiciary and executive departments or 
agencies from hiring an outside lobbyist, lobbying firm 
or campaign consultant to influence the decision-making 
process of another Commonwealth entity.  Both bills were 
reported from the House State Government Committee 
unanimously and tabled.

As covered in prior legislative roundups, Senate Bill 78 
establishes Kayden’s Law, requiring comprehensive 
changes to the custody statute focusing on the health and 
safety of the child.  

Readers will recall the legislation passed the Senate 46-4 
and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.  On 
November 15, the Subcommittee on Family Law of the 
House Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on 
the bill.  With the assistance of the Conference of State 
Trial Judges – notably the Family Law Section and the 
Legislative Committee – testimony was developed and 
provided by Judges Allison Bell Royer, Katherine B.L. 
Platt, and John Foradora.  Judge Dan Clifford also testified 
about the work of the Custody Subcommittee of the 
Advisory Committee on Domestic Relations Law for the 
Joint State Government Commission. 

Election Code 
Election Code

House Bill 1800 provides for comprehensive voting process 
and procedure changes.  Broadly, the topics include early 
voting, supervised absentee voting, ballot curing, number 
of ballots required at each polling place, voter ID, drop 
boxes, signature matching, access to pre- and canvassing 
meetings, elimination of third-party voter registration 
programs, registration and ballot deadlines and the 
creation of the Bureau of Election Audits. 

Provisions are of particular interest to the judiciary are the 
granting of special legislative standing for the General 
Assembly to intervene in proceedings examining the 

2

constitutionality of the act and requiring county boards of 
election to enter into agreements with the Unified Judicial 
System to receive records of county residents who claim 
ineligibility for service as a juror under 42 Pa.C.S. § 4502.  
The purpose is to provide for the investigation of the 
registration status of any elector who claimed ineligibility 
to serve as a juror based on a lack of citizenship. 

giving bail or business of a bail bondsman, professional 
bondsman and surety bondsman. The current term bail 
bondsman is amended.  No other substantive changes are 
proposed under the bill.  Defining the terms impacts other 
provisions of the subchapter wherein the terms are used, 
notably, licensure. The legislation passed the House 111-88 
and was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

The legislation was reported from House State 
Government 15-10 and is pending in the House 
Appropriations Committee.

District Attorney (DA) Law Licenses
District Attorney (DA) Law Licenses

Senate Bill 420 – enacted as Act 88 of 2021 – adds 
a qualification for DAs, requiring the individual to 
continually hold an active law license while in office. The 
act establishes a process for when a DA is disbarred or 
suspended.  If disbarred, the office is considered vacant 
and the vacancy must be filled pursuant to the provisions 
of the County Code or Second-Class County Code, or for a 
county of the first class, pursuant to Act 385 of 1850. 

If a DA’s license is suspended, he/she is suspended from 
the office until the sooner of the license being reinstated 
or the term expiration. If the first assistant DA is willing, 
qualified, and able, he/she becomes acting DA.  If not, 
the court of common pleas appoints a competent person 
satisfying the qualifications. 

Crime Victims and Notice of Bail Proceedings
Crime Victims and Notice of Bail Proceedings

House Bill 2039 amends the Crime Victims Act to provide 
a victim with the opportunity to comment on a defendant’s 
bail conditions at any time they are imposed or modified.  
The provisions apply to proceedings for personal injury 
crimes, crimes of violence, offenses relating to sexual 
abuse of children and offenses relating to sexual 
exploitation of children.  

Specifically, the bill requires the arresting officer to 
provide victim name and contact information to the court 
conducting the preliminary arraignment so that the victim 
may receive notice of any proceedings to modify bail 
conditions and exercise the opportunity to appear.  The 
court must then transmit the contact information and the 
transcript of the proceedings to the court of common pleas 
at the conclusion of the preliminary hearing so clerks of 
courts can notify the victim of any proceedings to modify 
bail.  

The bill passed the House 139-60 and has been referred to 
the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

Bail Bondsmen Definitions 
Bail Bondsmen Definitions 

House Bill 2046 amends Title 42 to define or modify terms 
within the Bail Bondsmen subchapter of the Bonds and 
Recognizances chapter. New terms include business of 

Repeal of License to Carry Concealed 
Repeal of License to Carry Concealed 
Firearm Provisions
Firearm Provisions

Senate Bill 565 sought to amend Title 18 to repeal the 
provision of law prohibiting the carrying of firearms 
without a license, and add new language declaring that 
every individual not otherwise prohibited by law has an 
affirmative, fundamental, and constitutional right to keep 
and bear firearms, including the right to carry openly or 
concealed.  

The legislation proposed to repeal the current law 
prohibition on persons carrying firearms on the streets or 
on public property without a license during an emergency 
declared by a state or municipal government and remove 
language prohibiting the carrying of firearms on public 
streets or public property in Philadelphia. The bill passed 
the Senate 29-21 and the House 107-92. The governor 
vetoed the bill.

Firearm Regulation Preemption and Relief
Firearm Regulation Preemption and Relief

Senate Bill 448 amends Titles 18 and 53 to allow a 
person adversely affected by ordinances promulgated or 
enforced by a county, municipality, or township in violation 
of statutes prohibiting such entities from regulating 
firearms to seek declarative and injunctive relief and 
actual damages in an appropriate court. The legislation 
passed the Senate 31-19 and has been referred to the 
House Judiciary Committee. 

Probation Reform/Standards
Probation Reform/Standards

Senate Bill 913 amends Title 42 to provide for 
comprehensive probation reform, similar to a bill passed 
by the Senate in 2020. The bill prohibits courts from 
extending probation periods, imposing brief sanctions, or 
revoking probation solely for nonpayment of fines or costs, 
unless it is found that the defendant is financially able to 
pay and refuses to do so. 

The legislation repeals the current language limiting 
total confinement and adds new provisions to prohibit 
courts from imposing sentences of total confinement upon 
revocation unless the defendant has been convicted 
of another crime. The bill allows courts to impose a 
determinate sentence of total confinement upon revocation 
if it is found by a preponderance of the evidence that the 
defendant committed a technical violation, and one or 
more enumerated factors (e.g., assaultive behavior) are 
present. A court imposing a sentence of total confinement 
for revocation based on the above is subject to caps on the 

3

period of incarceration. 

Finally, the bill provides for probation review conferences, 
generally taking place when a defendant has completed 
three years of probation following a misdemeanor 
conviction or five years of probation following a felony 
conviction. The legislation establishes other eligibility 
requirements and outlines processes for the review 
conferences. 

Senate Bill 904 and Senate Bill 905  involve standards for 
probation and parole personnel developed by the County 
Adult Probation and Parole Advisory Committee (CAPPAC) 
pursuant to JRI 2.  Senate Bill 904 amends Title 42 to allow 
probation officers to use technology portals – “a device … 
that allows simultaneous voice and video communication 
in real time between the offender and the probation 
officer” – in lieu of in-person probation meetings.  

Senate Bill 905 amends the Pennsylvania Commission on 
Crime and Delinquency Law to require CAPPAC to adopt 
a standard that includes circumstances under which an 
offenders’ schedules, including consideration of work 
and medical care schedules, is weighed when making 
probation scheduling decisions.

All three probation bills were reported unanimously 
from the Senate Judiciary Committee and have been 
referred to the Senate Appropriations Committees. The 
CAPPAC Subcommittee on Standards is in the process of 
developing standards that will address the requirements in 
Senate Bills 904 and 905. 

{Damian Wachter, Esq. is the assistant director 
of Legislative Affairs.}

Allegheny County 
Housing Court 
receives Judicial 
Services Award 

left to right: Judge Patrick Connelly, Administrative Judge Christine 
Ward, Case Management Coordinator, Candice Malizio, Deputy 
Court Administrator/Civil Div. Dianne Wainwright, Housing Ct. Help 
Desk Supervisor, Shawnell Smith and Housing Court Data Clerk, 
Quinn Kobelak 

4

Christine 
Allegheny County Administrative Judge Christine 
WardWard and Deputy Court Administrator, Civil Division, 
Dianne Wainwright
Dianne Wainwright were recently honored with the 
Judicial Services Award from the Allegheny County 
Bar Foundation.  

The award was given for the work done over the past 
year with the Civil Division’s Housing Court and the 
Housing Court Help Desk, which were created in 
June 2019 as a result of Judge Ward’s vision. 

Recognizing that litigants could benefit greatly from 
streamlining residential housing disputes between 
owners and renters, Judge Ward sought to designate 
a specific judge (Judge Patrick Connelly
Patrick Connelly) to hear all 
motions, petitions and trials for these types of cases. 

The Housing Court includes a Help Desk where 
litigants can obtain forms, ask questions about 
procedures and case status and receive answers 
from knowledgeable Help Desk team members. 

“Having the Housing Court Help Desk in place when 
the pandemic hit was invaluable,” Wainwright said.  

“Since March of 2020, we partnered with numerous 
local agencies – including the Allegheny County 
Department of Health, Neighborhood Legal Services 
Association etc. – to work with litigants who are 
attempting to obtain funds through the Emergency 
Rental Assistance Program.” 

“Judge Ward and I are humbled and grateful, but we 
are also very proud of Judge Connelly, his staff and 
the Help Desk team who serve litigants each day,” 
she said.  

Chief Justice Emeritus Saylor Retires 

After a long and distinguished career 
including 28 years on the bench, Chief 
Justice Emeritus Thomas G. Saylor
Thomas G. Saylor 
will retire at the end of 2021. 

Over the past few months, the 
Court, legal scholars and a host 
of organizations have recognized 
and celebrated the Chief’s tenure, 
immeasurable contributions to the 
judiciary and the legal profession, his 
commitment to judicial education and 
some would say most importantly, his 
love of animals. 

Known to his colleagues as Tom, 
Saylor received his B.A. from the 
University of Virginia, his J.D. from 
Columbia University School of Law, 
and an L.L.M. from the University of 
Virginia School of Law. 

After early years in private practice, 
Saylor spent the bulk of his career 
in public service, serving as First 
Assistant District Attorney in Somerset 
County and First Deputy Attorney 
General for Pennsylvania. In 1993 
he was elected to the Pennsylvania 
Superior Court and in 1997 to the 
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. 

His tenure on the bench has been 
praised by legal scholars.  During a 
recent ceremony honoring Saylor, 
Duquesne University President Ken 
Gormley described the Chief Justice 
Emeritus (CJE) as “being at the top 
of the list of extraordinary luminaries 
who have served in the Supreme 
Court chamber.” 

Gormley pointed out that what the 
CJE is probably most well-known 
for is crafting opinions which are 
“deliberative, rigorous and measured 
– reflecting what the CJE set as his 
goal for his time on the bench to ‘First, 
do no harm and issue opinions and 
rulings that stand the test of time.’ “

Chief Justice Emeritus Thomas Saylor 

Saylor is regarded as an expert in 
many areas of the law, but most 
notably in constitutional law. 
His opinions, decisions and law 
review articles in that area have 
been described as powerful and 
extraordinary works in a distinguished 
body of jurisprudence. 

During his time as Chief Justice, 
CJE Saylor observed that like all 
judges, he was at times faced with 
difficult choices, but quotes former 
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin 
Scalia who said, “If you are going 
to be a good and faithful judge, you 
have to resign yourself to the fact that 
you are not always going to like the 
conclusions you reach.” 

Steadfast in his commitment and 
dedication to the Court, the rule of law 
and the people of Pennsylvania, he 
remained focused on ensuring justice 
for all. He led the Court with a calm, 
thoughtful demeanor, going to great 

lengths in his opinions to detail his 
reasoning on complex legal issues 
while always remaining respectful of 
the opinions of his colleagues.  

Throughout his career, CJE Saylor 
has been revered as a mentor and 
inspiration to young lawyers, with 
many noting that the chance to argue 
before him in court session was a 
highlight of their careers. His focus on 
and involvement in judicial and legal 
education has helped to shape the 
next generation of legal practitioners. 

Chief Justice Emeritus Saylor will 
leave the Supreme Court as he 
came – quiet in nature and respected 
beyond measure. As he prepares to 
transition from the bench and solidify 
his plans for the future, one thing is 
certain – he has left a lasting impact 
on those who worked with him, argued 
before him and were influenced by 
him. 

5

Revisions to UJS Public 
Access Policies 

The Court has recently amended  
two public access policies effective 
Jan. 1, 2022. 

Amendments to sections of the 
Case Records Public Access Policy 
require filers to safeguard confidential 
information using a Confidential 
Information Form. 

Prior to these amendments, an 
appellate or trial court could permit 
the filing of any document in two 
versions – a “Redacted Version” and 
an “Unredacted Version” – when 
the document contains confidential 
information as defined in Section 7.0 
of the Policy. Unredacted versions 
of documents filed with a court on or 
after Jan. 6, 2018 pursuant to prior 
versions of the Case Records Policy 
are not accessible to the public. 

Now, all litigants and attorneys 
throughout the state will utilize 
the same method to safeguard 
confidential information. 

support the statewide practice of law 
by members of the bar.

The Electronic Case Record Public 
Access Policy (ECR Policy) was 
amended to incorporate electronic 
case record information residing in 
the Guardianship Tracking System 
(GTS) and provide that information 
maintained in GTS is not accessible 
by the public – except for aggregate 
or statistical data that does not 
identify an incapacitated person. 
These provisions complement 
those in the Case Records Public 
Access Policy that generally prohibit 
access to case records concerning 
incapacitated persons at the 
courthouse and via remote access.

Information that would be accessible 
under the ECR Policy includes, 
for example, how many active 
guardianships petitions have been 
filed, granted or terminated. Public 
release of such data will be facilitated 
by the AOPC.

Implementing a single, statewide 
approach for the treatment of 
confidential information throughout 
the courts of the Commonwealth will 
establish procedural uniformity and 

moreinformation 

Additional information about these 
policies can be found on the Public 
Records page of the UJS website.

6

Editors
Stacey Witalec
Kim Bathgate

Writer
Casey Scheffler

Contributors
Patti Campbell
Rhonda Hocker
Stephen Baldwin

Graphic Design
Gretchen Smith

Photography
Justin Scott

Court Administrator of PA
Geoff Moulton

Deputy Court Administrator of PA
Andrea B. Tuominen

All content is collected, written 
and edited by the AOPC 
Communications Office 
unless noted. 
You may reach the office 
by calling: (717) 231-3300 
or by emailing: 
CommunicationsOffice@pacourts.us

For more information about 
Pennsylvania’s courts, visit: 
www.pacourts.us

Twitter @PACourts
Facebook @pennsylvaniacourts
YouTube @PACourts
Instagram @pennsylvaniacourts

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Max Baer
Chief Justice of Pennsylvania

Thomas G. Saylor
Justice 

Debra Todd
Justice

Christine Donohue
Justice

Kevin M. Dougherty
Justice

David N. Wecht
Justice

Sallie Updyke Mundy
Justice

AOPC Releases Educational Toolkit to Teach 
Students about the Pennsylvania Judiciary

The Pennsylvania Courts joined schools across the state 
to celebrate American Education Week in November by 
launching a civics educational digital toolkit aimed at 
helping children learn about the work and role of the 
Pennsylvania courts. 

Spearheaded by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s 
Commission on Judicial Independence, the project 
includes:

•  Digital one-pagers on topics exploring the layers of the 
Pennsylvania court system, how the courts work, the 
importance of judicial independence, the role of a judge, 
how judges are elected, how a case progresses through 
the system and much more;

•  Videos to complement and further expand on topics, 

giving a visual aid to students and teachers; 

•  3D video offering tours of courtrooms, complete with 

interactive educational points to learn more about the 
effects in the rooms; and 

•  Games for the younger audience including the Flat 

Judge project, modeled after the Flat Stanley project 
used by schools across the nation. 

“Pennsylvania judges are part of the communities in which 
kids live, but too much critical information is missing to 
help kids understand why the courts matter so much,” said 
Commission Co-Chair, former federal judge and current 
Dickinson College President John E. Jones III. “If we can 
reach them through technology and teach them about the 
critical role the courts play in their lives, we can light a fire 
in the next generation of civic leaders."

“A critical part of the mission of the Judicial Independence 
Commission is to educate all Pennsylvanians about 
the work and role of the courts in our communities,” 
Commission Co-Chair and Commonwealth Court Judge 
Renee Cohn Jubelirer said. 
Renee Cohn Jubelirer

“This new resource incorporates concepts and ideas which 
we hope will be appealing and educational for students at 
all grade levels, but also complement curriculum currently 
being used by school districts across the state.

7

Pa. Courts Launch 
Civics Education Toolkit 

info

P A C O U R T S

As one of the three branches of government, the judiciary reflects the core values of American 
democracy while acting as one of its essential pillars. Created by the Pa. Supreme Court, the 
Commission on Judicial Independence is charged with fostering a greater public understanding  
about the role of the courts and explaining the essential need of an independent judiciary. 

As part of their efforts, a comprehensive civics education toolkit was developed as a resource for 
teachers, students and the public to learn more about the work, role and structure of the state’s courts.

Key Components 
Learn about a wide range of court-related topics: 

Role of 
the Courts

How the
Courts Work

Our Pa. 
Court System

How a Case
Progresses

Flat Judge 
Project

Explore Pa.’s  
Appellate Courtrooms

Educational Videos 
The webpage contains several animated videos designed for all grade levels explaining how our state 
government works, how judges are selected and held accountable, how the jury system works and why judicial 
independence is so important. 

Three Branches of Government (Primary Grades)

Three Branches of Government (Secondary Grades)

To view the toolkit in its entirety, visit www.pacourts.us/civics-ed.
#CourtsInTheClassroom

8

AOPC Legal staff transitions

After 35 years of service to 
the Commonwealth, AOPC 
Chief Counsel Greg Dunlap
Greg Dunlap 
will retire at the end of the 
year.

“On behalf of the AOPC, 
I thank Greg for his 
exceptional service to 
government for more 
than three decades,” 
said Court Administrator 
of Pennsylvania Geoff 
Geoff 
Moulton. “His legal 
Moulton
knowledge and quiet 
professionalism have 
served us beyond measure, 
and we wish Greg all the 
best in his retirement.”

Dunlap was appointed 
in 2015 as AOPC’s Chief 
Counsel and has managed 
the Legal Department for 
more than six years under 
Court Administrators Tom 
Darr and Geoff Moulton. 
The Legal Department, 
including the chief counsel 
and 12 staff attorneys, 
serves the judiciary 
in innumerable ways, 
including representation in 
a wide range of litigation 
in federal and state courts, 
counseling on a broad 
array of subjects and 
support for a variety of 
transactions and leases.

Before joining AOPC, 
Dunlap worked for the 
Governor’s Office of 
General Counsel (OGC) 
for 26 years as a deputy 
general counsel. At 
OGC, Greg served a 
variety of important roles 
under six gubernatorial 
administrations, including 
as first deputy general 
counsel to the governor, 
OGC’s chief of litigation, 
manager of judicial 
appointments and acting 
chief counsel to the 
Departments of State, 

Education and Banking. 
He also served as counsel 
to the State Board of 
Education for 25 years.

In 2001, the Pennsylvania 
Bar Association 
Government Lawyers’ 
Committee honored Dunlap 
with its annual “Government 
Lawyer of the Year Award,” 
recognizing a government 
lawyer who has made a 
significant contribution 
or has dedicated his or 
her career to outstanding 
service to the profession 
for benefit of the public or 
government entity.

Dunlap began his career 
over 38 years ago with 
the Pennsylvania Superior 
Court, where for two 
years he served as a law 
Donald E. 
clerk for Judge Donald E. 
Wieand
Wieand. He also served 
as a litigation attorney for 
several years with Cozen 
O’Connor in Philadelphia.

“It has been a distinct 
honor and great 
pleasure during most 
of my career as an 
attorney to have served 
the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania in both 
the executive and 
judicial branches. I 
have always regarded 
government service as 
among the most noble 
of callings, and I could 
not have dreamed 
of a more gratifying 
experience than the 
one I was so privileged 
to enjoy here in 
Pennsylvania’s capital.”

So, what’s on the horizon for 
Dunlap? He looks forward 
to spending more time with 
Peg, his beloved wife of 

9

Greg Dunlap (l) and John Witherow (r)

nearly 35 years, and his 
three adult children, and 
perhaps to exploring worthy 
volunteer opportunities 
and finding some new 
hobbies. But he will always 
cherish and miss the many 
friends that enriched his 
Commonwealth service, 
especially his colleagues at 
AOPC.

Beginning in January, 
Dunlap will be succeeded 
by John Witherow
John Witherow, chief 
law clerk to Pennsylvania 
Supreme Court Justice 
Thomas G. Saylor. 
Thomas G. Saylor

For the past 24 years, 
Witherow has served the 
Pennsylvania Supreme 
Court and Justice Saylor 
in all facets of the Court’s 
work with a focus on 
opinion work, operations 
and managing chambers 
staff. 

“I am personally indebted 
to John for his 24 years of, 
commitment and dedication 
to the work of the Court,” 
said Justice Saylor. “He has 
been a friend and trusted 
confidant and I wish him 
the very best in his new 
endeavor leading AOPC’s 
legal team.”

Prior to joining the staff 
for the Court, Witherow 
practiced law in Harrisburg 
for 10 years at several law 
firms as well as served as 

a law clerk to Judge Robert 
J. Woodside in the U.S. 
Bankruptcy Court Middle 
District of Pennsylvania. 

Notably, Witherow served 
in the Pennsylvania Army 
National Guard for eight 
years as an executive 
officer, platoon leader and 
helicopter pilot. He is a 
published author drawing 
on his experience in the 
military and as an attorney 
sensitive to the challenges 
of the American criminal 
justice system. 

“I am appreciative that 
Chief Justice Emeritus 
Saylor took me under his 
wing 24 years ago and has 
let me lend a hand through 
the completion of his legacy 
as a most dedicated and 
principled Justice and Court 
leader,” said Witherow. “His 
gracious mentorship has 
improved my abilities as 
a lawyer greatly, in terms 
of seeing the big picture, 
caring for the small details 
and everything in between.”

Looking toward the 
future, Witherow said, 
“I am very much looking 
forward to working more 
closely with AOPC’s 
team of professionals 
to address the complex 
issues arising in a 
statewide judicial 
system.”

Justice Dougherty 
gives presentation 
on Kings Bench 
Authority 

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice 
Kevin Dougherty
Kevin Dougherty gave a Continuing 
Legal Education (CLE) presentation 
on Kings Bench Authority to the 
Luzerne County Bar Association in 
October. 

First Female Judge Elected in Bedford County 

Bedford County Judge 
Brandi Hershey
Brandi Hershey made 
history in November 2019 
when she was elected 
to be the county’s first 
female judge. 

“Regardless of whether 
a community is rural or 
urban, I think that people 
simply want a judge 
who is fair-minded and 
understands the law, 
regardless of gender. I 
am humbled by the trust 
the citizens have placed 
in me to make important 
decisions for the families 
of Bedford County,” Judge 
Hershey said. 

During her 20 years 
as a lawyer, Hershey 
has represented 
individuals, businesses, 
municipalities and 
nonprofit organizations 
– eventually starting her 
own law firm in 2012. 

Some of her prior roles 
have included assistant 
district attorney in 
both Bedford and Blair 
counties, special deputy 
attorney general with the 
Pennsylvania Attorney 
General’s Office and 
the Governor’s Office of 
General Counsel and 
president of the Bedford 
County Bar Association.

Hershey has been 
recognized for her 
community service with 
many prestigious awards 
throughout the years 
and played an active 
leadership role in the 
Bedford County Pink 
Ribbon Fund, serving as 
the 2017 Survivor Chair 
for the Breast Cancer 
Walk and as the Chair 
of the Fund’s Allocation 
Committee.

She earned a bachelor’s 
degree from the California 
University of Pennsylvania 
and received her law 
degree from Dickinson 
School of Law. 

Security upgrades at the Bedford County Courthouse 

The Bedford County Courts, through 
the efforts of their Court Security 
Committee, recently worked with the 
county maintenance department to 
upgrade courthouse security. 

The renovations included replacing 
the counter in the Court Administration 
Office with a solid wall with ballistic 
panels and transaction glass. 
Previously, the only barrier between 

the office staff and the public was the 
open countertop and a swinging half 
door. 

the judges’ secretaries and court 
administration staff to buzz people 
into the judicial wing. 

The entrance to the judicial wing was 
also upgraded from two glass doors 
that did not lock and replaced with 
two solid locking doors and a swipe 
card system installed for court staff.

Additionally, a video doorbell was 
installed at the entrance that allows 

10

In addition to securing the other 
entrance into the judicial wing, the 
Court Security Committee is also 
working on plans to develop a 
screening process and install security 
screening equipment for the front 
entrance to the Courthouse. 

Language Access Summit 

As with many things during the 
pandemic, this year’s Language 
Access Coordinator Summit was 
held remotely via WebEx for the 
second year in a row. 

The summit consisted of five, hour-
long sessions spanning six weeks:

•  You Never Have a Second 
Chance to Make a First 
Impression: New Mexico’s 
Language Access Initiatives 
Outside the Courtroom

• 

Training Staff & Judges on 
Language Access 

•  Best Practices for Working with 

Interpreters 

•  What’s New in Language Access 

Data Collection 

• 

The Art & Science of Translation. 

Paula Couselo-Findikoglu, Court 
Services Deputy Division Director for 
New Mexico’s Administrative Office 
of the Courts, kicked off the summit 
as its keynote speaker on Oct. 14. 

Sharing insight with the district 
language access coordinators about 
what New Mexico’s judiciary has 
been doing to further language 
access, she discussed various 
training and office protocols that 
assist their large limited English 
proficient (LEP) population. 

Of note was a virtual avatar platform 
they created called “Clara” that can 
speak multiple languages to assist 
those who visit the courthouse and 
the judiciary’s website. 

In addition to “Clara” smart kiosks 
that can direct court users to the 
appropriate courtrooms, provide 
relevant court forms and answer 
frequently asked questions, a video 
remote interpreting platform called 
“Clara Connect” is also being rolled 
out to assist LEP court users who 
need an interpreter. 

Pennsylvania’s language access coordinators (LAC) were inspired by what 
New Mexico is doing to help LEP court users in a technologically savvy way. 

All of the summit sessions have been recorded and can be found on the 
Language Access Coordinator Protected View Page, accessible for LACs via 
the Language Access & Interpreter Program page of the UJS website. 

moreinformation 

please contact your local language access coordinator or Court Access 
Coordinator Mary Vilter. 

11

Early Identification of Pennsylvania Veterans  
Key to Success for Justice-Involved Veterans

Pennsylvania’s Veterans Treatment 
Courts have launched an outreach 
campaign to encourage all justice-
involved veterans to promptly notify 
the court, attorney or law enforcement 
officer that they served in the military.

Pennsylvania veterans may be 
eligible for a Veterans Treatment 
Court or other programs to help them 
with service-related issues involving 
posttraumatic stress disorder, brain 
injuries and substance use disorder 
or if they were the victim of sexual 
or physical abuse while in military 
service. 

“Our goal is to help support our 
veterans -- to help them find their way 
back home -- and early identification 
as veterans is critical to their success,” 
said Pa. Supreme Court Justice 
Debra Todd.  “Courts encourage 
veterans who become involved with 

the criminal justice system to report 
their veteran status.  Some may not 
report their status because they are 
embarrassed that they have been 
charged with a crime or they do not 
understand that serving in combat is 
not a requirement for recognition as a 
veteran.”

As part of the campaign, the 
Administrative Office of Pennsylvania 
Courts developed several posters 
encouraging early identification for 
justice-involved veterans and for 
Magisterial District Court judges 
and court staff to help determine 
if someone is a veteran and if they 
qualify for support and services. 

Improving communication of services 
and programs for justice-involved 
veterans is a critical component of 
the campaign by connecting veterans 
with their local Veterans Affairs (VA) 

Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) 
specialist. The VJO can help veterans 
identify support options and VA 
benefits. Participation in Veterans 
Treatment Court is not required to 
receive their support. 

Veterans Treatment Courts assist 
veteran defendants who are 
struggling with addiction, mental 
illness or co-occurring disorders, 
who come in contact with the 
criminal justice system. Using the 
drug court model, these courts 
combine treatment and personal 
accountability, with the goal of 
breaking the cycle of addiction and 
criminal behavior.  

Pennsylvania currently has 25 
Veterans Court programs, the first of 
which opened in Lackawanna County 
in Nov. 2009. 

Pennsylvania Veterans Courts 
Recruiting Veteran Mentors 

“Pennsylvania has the fourth highest 
population of veterans in this country, 
nearly 800,000, and their struggles 
affect all of our communities and 
the need for men and women who 
have served our country to help their 
fellow veterans continues to grow,” 
Justice Todd said. “The success of 
veterans participating in veterans 
courts depends in great part on the 
availability of mentors to support 
them as they navigate their way 
through the court, treatment and VA 
systems.” 

Those interested in serving as 
volunteer veteran mentors are 
encouraged to learn more and submit 
an application to the office of the 
court administrator or the Veterans 
Court coordinator in the county in 
which they would like to volunteer.  

More information about 
Pennsylvania’s Veterans Treatment 
Courts and becoming a mentor is 
available on the PA Courts’ website, 
Facebook and Twitter.  

Recruitment efforts are 
currently underway for 
veterans interested in playing 
a critical role as volunteer 
mentors in Pennsylvania’s 
Veterans Treatment Court 
program.  

“Volunteer veteran mentors 
serve as role models and 
coaches for justice-involved 
veterans participating 
in veterans courts,” 
Pennsylvania Supreme Court 
Justice Debra Todd said. 
“Through their time and 
commitment to their fellow 
service members, these 
mentors make a life-long 
impact at a time when it is 
most needed.” 

12

DID YOU SERVE  
IN THE MILITARY?

Do you want to serve your fellow servicemen and 
servicewomen who are struggling right now? 

Become a volunteer veteran peer mentor to help justice-involved veterans 
today!  Volunteer peer mentors SERVE as role models and coaches for 
justice-involved veterans participating in veterans treatment courts.  With a 
small time commitment, you can have a HUGE impact on a veteran’s life.  

NEXT STEPS:  Contact your local District Court Administrator or 
Veterans Court Coordinator at your county courthouse to inform them 
of your interest and learn more about veterans treatment courts in your 
county or a county nearby.

CONTACT: ____________________________________________________

VISIT  WWW.PACOURTS.US KEYWORD “VETERANS TREATMENT COURT”

D E PA R T M E N T   S P OT L I G H T: 

Judicial District 
Operations and 
Programs

The Judicial District Operations and Programs Department serves as the 
point of contact for all district court administrators (DCAs) and their staff, 
as well as president and administrative judges on issues related to their 
administrative functions. 

The mission of the department is to assist with the efficient operation of 
Pennsylvania’s minor and trials courts, and to promote equitable access 
to and administration of justice. 

The department works closely with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and 
with other departments within the AOPC to assist in implementation of 
policies, procedures, rule changes and reporting standards. 

Led by AOPC Judicial District Operations and Programs Director Joe 
Joe 
Mittleman
Mittleman and Assistant Director Christy Beane
is comprised of judicial programs administrators, analysts and 
administrative assistants, who have expertise in court management and 
court operations, as well as variety of specialty skills and talents. 

Christy Beane, the department 

There are five units within the Judicial District Operations department:

Senior judge assignments 
Senior judge assignments 

Department staff administer the senior judge program, including 
processing applications for certification of senior judges and managing 
requests for senior judge assistance from judicial districts. Staff also work 

Top row (l to r): Christy Beane, Brandy Yasenchak, Natalia Petrova, Diane 
Bowser, Osvaldo Aviles, Owen Kelly, Keith Hinkel, Danette Oakes, Mike 
Passiment, Amy Kehner, Cathy Kelly, Nevin Warner, Andy Simpson (recently 
transferred to AOPC Judicial Education) Front row (l to r): Cherstin Hamel, 
Angela Lowry, Joe Mittleman, Linda Botti, Rick Pierce

13

with judicial districts concerning president 
judge elections and requests for change of 
venue/venire. 

Office of Elder Justice in the 
Office of Elder Justice in the 
Courts (OEJC) 
Courts (OEJC) 

The OEJC educates judges, court staff, 
attorneys, guardians, and the public on best 
practices in the areas of guardianship, elder 
abuse and neglect, and access to justice, 
while calling attention to the prevention 
of elder abuse. The OEJC is guided in 
their efforts by an advisory council, an 
interdisciplinary group appointed by the Pa. 
Supreme Court and chaired by Judge Paula 
Paula 
OttOtt.

Problem-solving courts 
Problem-solving courts

The problem-solving court (PSC) unit assists 
the judicial districts by providing training and 
support for counties who are interested in 
starting, expanding or maintaining a PSC.  

•  Manages the Pennsylvania Supreme 
Court's Drug Court and DUI Court 
Accreditation Programs – an 
examination of a PSC’s adherence to the 
10 key components and best practice 
standards, which were established 
by the National Association of Drug 
Court Professionals and are a guide 
to successful program operation and 
outcomes. 

•  Oversees the Problem-Solving Adult 
and Juvenile Courts Information 
System (PAJCIS) – the statewide case 
management system for problem solving 
court cases which provide data and 
statistics about problem solving courts 
statewide. 

• 

Provides scholarships for staff to attend 
conferences and allocates grants to 
judicial districts to offset the costs of new 
or existing PSC programs and develop 
training programs. 

Interpreter services 
Interpreter services

Staff in this unit are responsible for 
the training, testing and certification of 
interpreters. They maintain a list of certified 
and qualified interpreters, and they assist 
court administrators in the procurement of 
court interpreters for uncommon languages 
or for which there is not certified interpreter 
on the list. Staff in this unit are also key 
participants in the implementation of the 
statewide language access plan.

Court operations 
Court operations

The remaining department staff are 
responsible for a variety of general 
court operations. The ongoing or 
recurring functions include: 

•  Reestablishment –

Reestablishment – Staff provide 
data and support for the 
Decennial Magisterial District 
Reestablishment, which requires 
that the Court reestablish the 
numbers and boundaries of the 
magisterial districts the year after 
the census figures are certified by 
the Census Bureau. 

• 

• 

Training –
Training – Department staff 
develop and conduct trainings, 
webinars and continuing 
education programs for local court 
staff and judges, including the 
annual New Court Administrator 
Orientation, President Judge 
Symposium, Magisterial District 
Court Administrator Symposium 
and other in-person trainings. 

STOP Grant administration –
STOP Grant administration – Staff 
allocate federal grant funding 
to support court programs and 
services to benefit victims of 
abuse. 

Common Pleas Judicial Needs 
•  Common Pleas Judicial Needs 
Assessment –
Assessment – The department is 
responsible for determining each 
district's eligibility for senior judge 
usage. 

including the President Judge 
Desk book, Court Administrators 
Reference Manual and 
Pennsylvania Central Court 
Resource. 

• 

Employee Management –
Employee Management – Staff 
handle local court requests for 
state-level court administration 
personnel and annual 
performance evaluations for 
all state-level judicial district 
employees. 

•  Reference documents –

Reference documents – Staff 
develop and maintain resources 

•  Continuity of Operations Planning 
Continuity of Operations Planning 
(COOP) –
(COOP) – The department ensures 
that essential court functions can 
be maintained in the event of a 
catastrophic event. 

•  Department staff also assist local 

courts in responding to audits from 
the Auditor General or county 
controller.

COMPONENTS OF JUDICIAL DISTRICT OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT:

PROBLEM-SOLVING 
COURTS

COURT 
OPERATIONS

OFFICE OF ELDER 
JUSTICE IN THE 
COURTS

SENIOR JUDGE 

ASSIGNMENTS

INTERPRETER  SERVICES

President Judge by Day, Professor by Night 

For more than 10 years, 
Lancaster County President 
Judge David L. Ashworth
David L. Ashworth 
has been teaching a 
community-based learning 
course titled, “Problem-
Solving Courts: A Different 
World” at Franklin and 
Marshall College. 

As a senior adjunct 
professor, PJ Ashworth 
created and designed 
the course that is offered 
to students as part of 
Franklin and Marshall’s 
Public Health and Policy 
Curriculum. 

The interdisciplinary course 
introduces students to the 
real world of problem-
solving courts, including 
drug courts, veterans courts 
and mental health courts, 
and includes a hands-on 
experiential examination 
of traditional courts, drug 
court models and addiction 
issues. 

During the course, students 
interact directly with drug 
court participants and 
members of the Lancaster 
County Adult Drug Court 
team. 

“Teaching at F&M has 
given me the opportunity 
to interact with young 
people with tremendous 
potential who will some 
day be running our 
country,” PJ Ashworth said. 
“Hopefully, by taking this 
course, they will be able to 
make informed decisions 
regarding people with 
substance use disorders to 
the benefit of everyone.”

PJ Ashworth is the county's 
first and only drug court 
judge since the program 
was first established 
in 2005. Since then, 

14

Lancaster County President Judge 
David Ashworth

under his direction, over 
230 participants have 
graduated. 

Local foundation helps Lawrence County Treatment 
Court participants enjoy Thanksgiving 

This Thanksgiving, the 
Aaron Michael Cangey 
Memorial Foundation 
graciously donated 
their time and financial 
assistance to help Lawrence 
County Treatment Court 
participants with their 
holiday groceries.  

Braving the frigid 
temperatures, volunteers 
from the foundation came to 
the Adult Probation Office 
on the Monday before 
Thanksgiving to deliver the 
groceries to the participants 
who signed up.

Seven treatment court 
participants were able to 

take home an abundance 
of grocery items including 
a turkey, potatoes, fresh 
produce, milk, eggs, bread, 
canned and boxed items, 
paper products, foil baking 
trays, and a case of water. 

“Our goal was to have 
everything there to make a 
meal – down to the spices, 

proper baking trays and 
Thanksgiving- themed 
plates,” said Foundation 
Director Ginny Jacobs. “We 
also decided to throw in a 
few fun items like cake mix, 
icing and hot chocolate with 
marshmallows.” 

Created in 2019 after the 
passing of Lawrence County 
Assistant Public Defender 
Aaron Cangey in 2018, the 
foundation was started 
by Aaron’s family to help 
treatment court participants 
with various financial 
needs – including help with 
schooling costs, interview/
work clothes, paying 
restoration fees for their 
driver’s license, etc. 

“Our Program has been 
extremely blessed to work 
in conjunction with the 
Aaron Michael Cangey 
Memorial Foundation,” 
Lawrence County Treatment 
Court Probation Officer 
Sarah McCowin said.
Sarah McCowin

“Lawrence is a small county 
with limited resources, 
so connecting with the 
Cangey Family through the 
Foundation has enabled 
us to help our participants 
in ways we wouldn’t have 
been able to otherwise.” 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA’S COURTS, VISIT: 

www.pacourts.us

Facebook 
@pennsylvaniacourts

YouTube 
@PACourts

Twitter 
@PACourts

Instagram 
@pennsylvaniacourts

15

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion –
A Journey with No Final Destination

By Rick Pierce, Judicial Programs administrator, AOPC Judicial District Operations and Programs 

(l to r) President Judge Idee C. Fox (Philadelphia), Director for Racial Justice and Equity at the National Center for State Courts Edwin Bell,  
Court Administrator Will Simmons (Georgia) and Court Administrator Nicole Garcia (Arizona)

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) appears to connote 
different meanings depending upon where you receive 
your news. But what exactly is DEI?

There is much misinformation surrounding this subject. 
When addressing our courts, we take on the literal 
meaning of practicing equity and inclusivity for all people 
from all cultures and backgrounds. 

We also recognize our courts and those who work in the 
justice system may think we are inclusive and equitable. 
It is telling, shocking even, when we see data that shows 
how homogenized we are in makeup and how very likely 
it is we treat those from a minority group (race, gender, 
sexual orientation or identification, socio-economic status, 
education, to name a few) differently and not equitably. 

AOPC Judicial District Operations and Programs recently 
produced a webinar for district court administrators and 
deputy court administrators across the Commonwealth. 

Headlining the panel of presenters was the Director 
for Racial Justice and Equity at the National Center for 
State Courts, Edwin Bell. Mr. Bell was joined by court 
administrators from Georgia, Will Simmons and from 
Arizona, Nicole Garcia. Pennsylvania was ably represented 
by another headliner, President Judge Idee C. Fox
Idee C. Fox from the 
First Judicial District, Philadelphia.

Mr. Bell provided an overview of what DEI is, and is not. He 
provided strategies for how each court can become more 
inclusive and equitable for the people it employs as well 
as addressing those needs of all court users. 

Each panelist shared experiences where they may have 
felt marginalized or disenfranchised from a personal 
and professional position. One never truly understands 
what it means to be marginalized until one has such 
an experience first-hand or at least witnesses micro-
aggressions toward an individual from a minority group.

This hour session was the first step in a process for all 
of us. It served as an introductory dialogue to help all 
of us prepare for even more meaningful and fruitful 
conversations to take place between and among court 
employees and court users from those in the majority with 
those who have been marginalized. 

Future sessions in 2022 will address recruiting strategies 
to include individuals who are underrepresented or have 
been disenfranchised with the courts as an employer. 
We will seek to convene sessions on courageous 
conversations that will serve as a springboard to 
perspective taking and perspective giving from those in 
the majority with those who have been excluded. 

We must realize addressing diversity, equity and inclusion 
is a journey with no final destination. There is no set goal 
or objective other than to take the perspective of someone 
who has been marginalized. Perspective taking (and 
perspective giving from those marginalized) will bring us 
closer to ensuring that justice is not just for those in the 
majority, but for all.

16

GREATER PARENT 
PARTICIPATION, EFFICIENCIES 
SEEN IN VIRTUAL CHILD 
WELFARE HEARINGS

Virtual hearings for child welfare cases offer plenty of benefits, and they have a future after the coronavirus pandemic 

ends. But they also present limitations, according to interviews with presiding judges.

This summer, NCSC issued a “Study of Virtual Child Welfare Hearings Impressions from Judicial Interviews

Study of Virtual Child Welfare Hearings Impressions from Judicial Interviews” to offer 

insight into the effectiveness of virtual hearings and perceptions of how families, lawyers and case workers adapted 

to them. The interviews were part of a larger study, funded by Annie E. Casey

Annie E. Casey and Casey Family Programs

Casey Family Programs, due to be 

released later this year. The judges who participated range in experience from one to 29 years on the bench and work 

in big cities, rural counties or in between. The interviews led to these conclusions:

• 

Parents participate more frequently. Judges attributed this to parents not having to travel, find parking, take time off 
Parents participate more frequently.

from work and enter the often-intimidating atmosphere of a courtroom.

• 

“I was surprised by the increased level of participation by both parents and children,” said Associate Judge Thomas 

Stuckey, who works in Centex Child Protection Court in Seguin, Texas.  “Parents were able to appear in court without 

missing work or having anxiety about coming to the courthouse.”

•  Most judges prefer using video but don’t require it.

Most judges prefer using video but don’t require it. Lawyers and court professionals almost always appeared on 

camera, but parents did not. This calls into question whether judges should require all participants to be on camera.

•  Virtual hearings facilitate time-specific scheduling in some courts. 

Virtual hearings facilitate time-specific scheduling in some courts. Time-specific scheduling is a long-standing 

recommendation for child welfare cases rather than assigning multiple cases for a morning time slot or an afternoon 

time slot.

hearings.

• 

Judges differ on whether virtual hearings make their jobs easier. Some said the hearings allow them to see 
Judges differ on whether virtual hearings make their jobs easier. 

witnesses’ faces up close on camera and make it easier to observe how participants react to testimony. Others 

pointed out that the hearings make it more difficult to assess witness credibility, recognize witness coaching, and 

make personal connections with parents and children.

•  Virtual hearings seem to be more time efficient. 

Virtual hearings seem to be more time efficient. They reduced travel time and time spent in courthouses for 

attorneys, case workers and others. They allowed attorneys to appear in courts in multiple jurisdictions on the same 

day, and many judges found that attorneys were as well or better prepared for virtual hearings than for in-person 

• 

The hearings allow more “support people” to attend. Besides parents, several judges said foster parents, therapists 
The hearings allow more “support people” to attend.

and relatives appeared more frequently because virtual hearings are more convenient to attend.

•  Most judges say virtual hearings are the new normal.

Most judges say virtual hearings are the new normal. Some judges lament the loss of decorum in virtual hearings 

and say that environment sometimes dampens the gravity of the situation, but most see a future for these hearings 

at least some of the time.

Judge Stuckey said, “I believe we’ll see the development and implementation of a hybrid model, allowing court 

participants the option to appear remotely when we return to in-person hearings.”

This content was reproduced with permission from the National Center for State Court’s newsletter – @ the Center. 

17