Official newsletter of the
Pennsylvania Judicial System

Issue 4, 2022

In this issue

Read about a new interpreter scheduling dashboard, how 
Pennsylvania is addressing a shortage of court reporters, positive 
data outcomes for FEI counties, and more.

1

39th	Judicial	District	Hosts	
Justice	Brobson	for	Independence	Day	

The	Appellate	Court	Procedural	Rules	Committee

Last month, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice 
P. Kevin Brobson
P. Kevin Brobson paid a visit to the Franklin 
County Courthouse to celebrate Independence 
Day.

Justice Brobson’s presentation, focusing on the 
Declaration of Independence, observation of 
July 4th and the ratification and adoption of the 
Pennsylvania Constitution, was simultaneously 
live-streamed to the Fulton County Courthouse.

“This is a milestone for the 39th judicial district 
and an honor to have a sitting justice of the 
Pennsylvania Supreme Court address our judicial 
district,” said Mark Singer
Mark Singer, Franklin/Fulton County 
district court administrator. 

left to right: Franklin/Fulton President Judge Shawn 
Meyers, Pa. Supreme Court Justice P. Kevin Brobson. 

At the end of June, 
the Appellate Court 
Procedural Rules 
Committee convened 
in Erie, where they bid 
farewell to committee 
Patricia A. 
members Judge Patricia A. 
McCullough
McCullough, chair, Judge 
Mary Jane Bowes, Judge 
Mary Jane Bowes
Dale M. Fouse
James 
Dale M. Fouse and James 
L. McMonagle.
L. McMonagle

These members have 24 
years of combined service 
on the committee and 
volunteered their time to 
improving Pennsylvania 
appellate court practice 
and procedures. 

l to r: Judge Dale Fouse,  
Judge Mary Jane Bowes,  
Judge Patricia McCullough  
and James McMonagle

2

[Senior]	Judge	Paula	Ott	Honored	with	
Piece	of	Pennsylvania	History

Reprinted with permission of the law firm Gawthrop Greenwood, PC.  

By Kristen Stewart

WEST CHESTER, PA — A treasured piece of Pennsylvania history now belongs to a former Gawthrop Greenwood 
attorney who went on to make her own history as a Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge as well as Chester County 
President Judge.

The law firm Gawthrop Greenwood and partner Kevin Holleran were pleased to present [Senior] Judge Paula Ott 
Pennsylvania Railroad club car chair at Gawthrop Greenwood’s offices in West Chester earlier this month, in honor of her 
contributions to the legal field as well as her work to advance the role of women in the law.

Paula Ott with a 

The firm once showcased 10 of these chairs, believed to have been acquired by the father of Gawthrop founder W. 
Edward Greenwood, Jr., Esq. when a Pennsylvania Railroad car was discarded decades ago at a scrap yard located next 
to the old Lukens Steel Company in Coatesville, Pa.

Since its founding in 1904, Gawthrop Greenwood has produced seven judges, 11 presidents of the Chester County Bar 
Association and numerous high-profile lawyers whose commitment to unparalleled service has long distinguished the 
firm. The first female judge in Chester County came from Gawthrop Greenwood, as did two judges who went on to the 
Superior Court of Pennsylvania, another who became a Federal District Court Judge and three who have served as 
President Judge of Chester County.

Pictured clockwise is [Senior] Judge Paula Ott with her former Gawthrop colleague and mentor John Halsted seated in the historic 
chair; the Pennsylvania Railroad club car chair with a photo of W. Edward Greenwood, Jr; [Senior] Judge Ott with Gawthrop partners 
Stacey Fuller, John Rafferty, Walter Eells and Kevin Holleran.

3

Pa.	Courts	Release		
New	Interpreter	
Scheduling	Dashboard	

By Stephen Baldwin and Marisa Lehr,  
AOPC Court Access Program

The courts have an obligation to effectively communicate 
with and provide meaningful access to court users who 
are Limited English Proficient (LEP), deaf or hard of 
hearing to ensure that all persons have due process and 
equal access to all judicial proceedings, court services, 
programs and activities. 

The Pa. Courts fulfill this obligation, in part, by providing 
certified interpreters to court users at no cost through the 
Interpreter Certification Program (ICP). 

The ICP was established to provide trained and qualified 
interpreters for the courts of Pennsylvania and maintains 
a statewide roster of qualified and certified interpreters to 
help each judicial district implement effective interpreter 
services. 

The ICP team has been working hard to bolster the court 
interpreter roster, which currently has 243 interpreters 
representing 38 languages. 

While the ICP maintains a robust court interpreter roster, 
coordinating interpreter services for court proceedings 
has sometimes presented logistical difficulties. For 
example, AOPC has received reports from districts that 
have had to contact over 30 different interpreters to 
locate an interpreter for a proceeding. 

To alleviate this problem, AOPC/IT staff teamed up with 
the AOPC/Court Access Program and the ICP to develop 
a mobile-friendly web application within the Language 
Access Data Collection System (LADC).  The application 
streamlines the scheduling of interpreters for Language 
Access Coordinators (LACs) and centralizes assignment 
requests for the interpreters, thus ensuring access to 
justice without delay for court users who are LEP, deaf or 
hard of hearing. 

This Uber-like application dramatically modernizes the 
process of scheduling rostered interpreters for court 
proceedings. Instead of making phone calls or sending 
emails each time there is a need to secure an interpreter, 
LACs will be able to enter the details of the proceeding 
into LADC, and the system will indicate which rostered 
interpreters are available. 

From there, LADC will electronically notify the interpreter 
via email or text message of the pending interpreter 
request, and the interpreter can accept or decline the 
request at the click of a button.

Mobile view of dashboard

Before its statewide launch, the scheduling dashboard 
was piloted with Berks, Montgomery and Dauphin 
counties, along with a handful of rostered interpreters. 
Sandy Sharma, a rostered Nepali Interpreter, was thrilled 
with the dashboard’s ease of use and was relieved that 
“it brings all the assignments with dates, times and 
information into one platform.” We would like to thank 
the interpreters who helped pilot the new scheduling 
dashboard: Ugo Marmugi, Tom Gran, Bennetry Richard-
Hermann, Sandhya Sharma, Sofia Parientes, Sonia 
Schlamowitz and Yongmei Li.

Rebecca Thatcher Murcia, the Language Access 
Coordinator for Dauphin County, loves the ability to 
find interpreters for upcoming proceedings quickly. The 
application also automatically populates her calendar 
with the details for each proceeding, including the info 
for the booked interpreter via a calendar invite LADC 
automatically sends out. 

In late June and early July, AOPC IT, AOPC Court Access 
and ICP conducted trainings for all the district LACs 
and the rostered interpreters on how to use the new 
scheduling dashboard. 

Currently, the scheduling dashboard is live for all judicial 
districts, with over 50 rostered interpreters already 
available for bookings, with several in the queue to be 
added in the coming weeks. 

The full roster of interpreters should be available on the 
scheduling dashboard in the next six months. 

Our sincere appreciation goes out to AOPC staff for their 
important contributions to this advancement in judicial 
administration – Kelly McClain, Sam Maina, Mario Lanza, 
Kelly McClain, Sam Maina, Mario Lanza, 
Kaveri Dasu, Keith Nigro, Marisa Lehr, Stephen Baldwin, 
Kaveri Dasu, Keith Nigro, Marisa Lehr, Stephen Baldwin, 
Natalia Petrova and Ilana Torres. 
Natalia Petrova and Ilana Torres

more	information

For more information 
on the scheduling 

Marisa Lehr or Stephen 
dashboard, please contact Marisa Lehr
Stephen 
Natalia 
Baldwin at, LanguageAccess@pacourts.us, Natalia 
Baldwin
Petrova
Petrova, or Ilana Torres 
or LADC Support at LADCSupport@pacourts.us.

Ilana Torres at interpreterprogram@pacourts.us 

4

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

AOPC Human Resources

Front row l-r:  Beth Schneider
Front row l-r:  
Back row l-r:  Angela Dissinger
Back row l-r:  

Beth Schneider,, Denise Parise
Angela Dissinger,, Molly Corman

 Denise Parise,, Hiliary Bower  
 Molly Corman, , Tiffeny Raker

2nd row l-r: Sarah Amalfitano
 Hiliary Bower  2nd row l-r: 
 Matt Gray
Tiffeny Raker,, Matt Gray

Sarah Amalfitano,, Leah Somers

 Leah Somers,, Patti Campbell

 Nicole Dadoun
 Patti Campbell,, Nicole Dadoun

AOPC’s Human Resources Department provides a variety 
of services to judiciary personnel including all judicial 
officers and state-level staff of the appellate courts, AOPC 
and judicial districts throughout Pennsylvania.

eligibility and claim issues, implementing program 
changes as required by state/federal law, retirement 
administration, and identifying and recommending 
improvements to benefit programs.

Located on the 7th Floor of the Pennsylvania Judicial 
Denise Parise, director, 
Center, the department is led by Denise Parise
Hiliary Bower
Beth Schneider, 
Hiliary Bower, assistant director and Beth Schneider
benefits administrator.  

The department is comprised of two units, Benefits and 
Employee Services, that work collaboratively to develop, 
implement and administer HR policies and programs, 
communicate with jurists and employees regarding 
HR topics, ensure compliance with employment laws/
regulations and address personnel issues. 

The Benefits unit develops and administers 
comprehensive benefit programs for judiciary members/
retirees and their dependents (8,000+ individuals) and 
ensures program compliance with state and federal 
regulations. 

Additional responsibilities include benefit contract 
evaluation/negotiation, working with insurers to address 

The Employment Services unit manages staffing 
and recruitment activities, develops and counsels on 
personnel related policies, serves as the point of contact 
for compliance with federal and state employment laws 
and statutes, addresses/resolves employee relations 
issues, maintains the judiciary pay plan, develops and 
maintains policies for evaluation and classification 
of employment positions and conducts confidential 
investigations. 

Additional duties include assisting jurists and managers 
with hiring processes, administering performance 
evaluation processes, working with managers and staff 
to address personnel needs, tracking employment 
demographics and statistics to remain in compliance 
with federal programs and reviewing individual job 
descriptions for AOPC and state-level district positions, 
analyzing employee performance metrics and providing 
education programs for personnel.

5

Legislative	roundup by Damian J. Wachter, Esq.

In conjunction with the adoption of the 2022-23 state budget, 75 bills were enacted into 
In conjunction with the adoption of the 2022-23 state budget, 75 bills were enacted into 
law, at least 21 impacting the courts in some fashion.  Two House resolutions of interest 
law, at least 21 impacting the courts in some fashion.  Two House resolutions of interest 
were also adopted.  
were also adopted.  

The House and Senate also passed as a part of one bill, 
five separate and distinct constitutional amendments. It 
sets up second passage and potential ballot questions 
in 2023. The proposed amendments are, however, 
the subject of a lawsuit filed by the governor (73 MM 
2022). Several of the Article V (Judiciary) constitutional 
amendments moved forward, but ultimately, they did not 
receive final votes in either chamber. 

Twenty-one other bills of interest were considered 
in either or both chambers but did not make it to the 
governor’s desk prior to summer recess. Those bills are 
still in play for the fall when the House is scheduled for 12 
session days and the Senate is scheduled for 10. Finally, 
13 common pleas and eight magisterial district court 
vacancies were filled by nomination by the governor and 
confirmation by the Senate.   

Budget
Budget

Act 1A of 2022 is the 2022-23 General Appropriations Act 
(GAA). It totals $42.114 billion in spending – a 12.4 percent 
increase over the 2021-22 fiscal year. The GAA provides 
the Judiciary with $362.369 million in state funding, a 
$6.405 million or 1.8 percent overall increase. 

Act 54 of 2022 is the 2022-23 Fiscal Code budget 
implementation legislation. The act includes the 
reauthorization of the “Act 49” surcharges until July 31, 

2023, revenue from which augments judicial line items 
in the GAA by approximately 17%. The surcharges total 
$21.25 and are levied on filings enumerated in 42 Pa.C.S. 
§ 3733. The act also extends the suspension of the 
diversion of $15 million of judicial computer funding to 
school safety for the 2022-23 fiscal year. 

Article V Constitutional Amendments
Article V Constitutional Amendments
Civil Venue by Statute
Civil Venue by Statute
Selection of President Judge 
Selection of President Judge 
Prior Passage: None
Prior Passage: None

House Bill 2660 amends Section 10, allowing the General 
Assembly to statutorily establish venue in civil cases. 
The bill was reported from House Judiciary, with all 
Democrats and one Republican opposed. 

Senate Bill 1127 amends Section 10, modifying the 
procedure for the selection of president judges for courts 
of common pleas. Under the amendment, president 
judges in courts with two or fewer judges would be the 
judge longest in continuous service. President judges 
of courts of common pleas with three or more judges 
would be selected for five-year terms by members of the 
respective court. The change in the process for selecting 
president judges would impact 21 judicial districts. The bill 
was reported from Senate State Government. 

6

Separate and Distinct Constitutional Amendments
Separate and Distinct Constitutional Amendments
Abortion, Concurrent Orders and Resolutions, 
Abortion, Concurrent Orders and Resolutions, 
Lieutenant Governor Selection, 
Lieutenant Governor Selection, 
Voter ID, and Election Audits 
Voter ID, and Election Audits 
Prior Passage: None
Prior Passage: None

Senate Bill 106 amends Articles I, III, IV and VII to: 

1.  Clarify that nothing in the constitution provides “the 

right to a taxpayer-funded abortion or any other right 
relating to abortion”

2.  Add “disapproval of regulations” to the list of 
exceptions to the requirement that concurrent 
resolutions must be presented to the governor

3.  Direct candidates for governor to select the candidate 

for lt. governor upon nomination and prohibit 
individuals from running for both offices 

4.  Require valid identification to vote regardless of voting 

method

5.  Require the General Assembly to legislatively provide 
for the auditing of elections by the auditor general. 

The bill passed both chambers on near party line votes 
and is filed as JR # 1 of 2022. 

Common Pleas Complement
Common Pleas Complement

Senate Bill 691 adds a common pleas judge in three 
judicial districts: Columbia/Montour, Huntingdon 
and Chester. The Columbia/Montour seat would be 
established on Jan. 1, 2024, filled in the 2023 election. 
The Huntingdon seat would be established on Jan. 5, 
2026, filled in the 2025 election. The bill is silent on the 
establishment of the Chester seat and would therefore 
create an immediate vacancy upon enactment. The bill 
passed the Senate 50-0. 

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

Act 71 of 2022 amends the Crime Victims Act to require 
arresting officers to provide name and contact information 
of victims to the magisterial district court (MDC) or the 
Philadelphia Municipal Court (PMC) conducting the 
preliminary arraignment, to provide the victim with notice 
of proceedings to modify bail conditions and exercise the 
opportunity to appear. 

The MDC or PMC must transmit the information 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 and the victim 
may exercise the opportunity to appear. 

The act also seeks to ensure that victims are afforded 
the right to offer comment regarding bail conditions at 
the time conditions are imposed or at any subsequent 
proceeding where conditions may be modified. The act 
has a six-month implementation period. 

Probation Meetings and Standards for Probation 
Probation Meetings and Standards for Probation 
Personnel
Personnel

Act 46 of 2022 amends Title 42, allowing probation 
officers to utilize technology portals in lieu of in-person 
probation meetings. Technology portal is defined as a 
“device, including a cellular phone and other electronic 
device, that allows simultaneous voice and video 
communication in real time between the offender and the 
probation officer.”

Act 47 of 2022 amends the Pennsylvania Commission on 
Crime and Delinquency Law, requiring the County Adult 
Probation and Parole Advisory Committee to, as a part 
of its duty to develop standards for probation personnel, 
adopt a standard that includes circumstances under which 
an offender’s schedule, including work and essential 
medical care, must be weighed when making probation 
scheduling decisions.

Perfetto
Joinder Statute and Perfetto
Joinder Statute and 

Act 85 of 2022 seeks to address Commonwealth v. 
Perfetto, 652 Pa. 101 (2019), which held that the state was 
precluded, under the compulsory joinder statute, from 
prosecuting charges for DUI following prosecution and 
conviction of a summary offense arising out of the same 
conduct or same criminal episode. The act clarifies that 
prosecution is not barred for offenses based on the same 
conduct or arising from the same criminal episode if the 
offense for which the defendant was formerly convicted or 
acquitted was a summary or summary traffic offense. 

Crime Victim Standing
Crime Victim Standing
JRI 2 and Crime Victims Act
JRI 2 and Crime Victims Act

Act 77 of 2022 amends the Crime Victims Act (CVA), 
granting a victim of a crime legal standing “to assert and 
enforce a right enumerated in the [act] or any other right 
afforded to the victim by law in a trial or appellate court 
or before an official body with jurisdiction over the victim’s 
case.” 

The underlying bill was amended to include the provisions 
of Senate Bill 708, which included comprehensive updates 
and modifications to definitions, adding responsibilities for 
victims, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors. 
The act repeals the current law governing the Crime 
Victims Compensation and Victim Witness Servicers 
Funds, establishing in their place a single Crime Victim 
Services and Compensation Fund to be used by the 
Office of Victim Services. Costs imposed under current 
law remain and will be paid into the fund, except that 
70 percent of the costs exceeding $60 is paid into 
local victim service funds. The act also eliminates the 
50 percent share of the minimum $25 supervision fee 
assessed against offenders that is currently deposited 
into the State Offender Supervision Fund – all funds will 
go to county supervision fee restricted receipts accounts. 

7

Juvenile Justice Task Force
Juvenile Justice Task Force

Family Finding
Family Finding

A package of bills that represents some of the legislation 
that was recommended as a part of the Juvenile Justice 
Task Force report. Senate Bill 1226, Senate Bill 1227, 
Senate Bill 1228 and Senate Bill 1229 amend several 
statues to:

• 

Standardize the process, including establishing new 
duties for juvenile probation officers and requiring 
JCJC to develop and implement case management 
tools, and shorten eligibility timeframes for juvenile 
expungement 

•  Require a court upon a finding of dependency to enter 
a disposition order that is best suited for the safety, 
protection, and physical, mental and moral welfare of 
the child

•  Require a court upon a finding of delinquency to enter 
a disposition order that is consistent with protection 
of the public, the imposition of accountability 
for offenses committed and the development of 
competencies to enable the child to become a 
responsible and productive member of the community

•  Require a disposition review hearing at least every 

three months to ensure that a child committed to out-
of-home placement is receiving necessary services 
and treatment, and terms and conditions of the 
disposition are being met 

•  Repeal current county reimbursement provisions 

for expenditures incurred in the performance of 
obligations under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63, and providing an 
updated formula.

The bills were reported from the Senate Judiciary and 
Aging and Youth Committees. 

Criminal History Record Information
Criminal History Record Information
Crime Victim Right of Access
Crime Victim Right of Access

House Bill 2525 amends Title 18, adding a new 
subchapter to the Criminal History Record Information 
chapter to allow a crime victim or a defendant in a civil 
action in which a crime victim is a party (requesting party) 
to obtain criminal history investigative information for use 
in or investigation of an actual or potential civil action 
relating to the criminal history investigative information. 
A requesting party may also seek the dissemination of 
criminal history investigative information that is directly 
related to a civil action and request the dissemination of 
criminal history investigative information that is material 
and necessary to the investigation or the preparation of a 
civil action. The attorney general and the Supreme Court 
are required to promulgate rules necessary to implement 
the act. The bill passed the House 160-43. 

House Bill 1866 amends Titles 42 and 67, requiring a court 
during a permanency hearing to determine whether a 
transition plan and services are being provided and, for 
child who is 18 years of age, whether a suitable transition 
plan has been presented. In cases where the child will 
be placed in another planned permanency arrangement 
approved by the court, the county agency must identify at 
least two significant connections with supportive adults. 

The bill that clarifies the legislative intent of family 
finding is to ensure that each child leaving foster care 
at 18 years of age and older is prepared for transition to 
successful adulthood and updates the definition of family 
finding to reflect current practice. It also defines the terms 
permanency plan and transition plan. 

The bill incorporates the provisions of House Bill 1650, 
which is a comprehensive, but technical reorganization of 
Title 67. One of the technical changes is moving Family 
Finding and Kinship Care from Chapter 31 to Chapter 75. 
The bill passed the House 203-0. 

Task Force on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 
Task Force on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 
and Autism
and Autism

House Resolution 212 establishes a legislative task force 
on intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism 
comprised of four members of the House appointed by 
the speaker, two each recommended by the Majority 
and Democratic leaders. Under the resolution, the Joint 
State Government Commission will assist the task force 
by establishing an advisory committee and conducting 
a study on the impact of the Commonwealth’s current 
needs and system capacity for providing opportunities for 
individuals with intellectual disabilities, developmental 
disabilities and autism. The resolution was adopted 173-27 
by the House. Senate action is not required. 

Select Committee on Law and Order
Select Committee on Law and Order

House Resolution 216 establishes the Select Committee 
on Restoring Law and Order to investigate, review and 
make findings and recommendations concerning rising 
rates of crime, law enforcement and the enforcement 
of crime victim rights, with a heavy focus on the City 
of Philadelphia. The resolution was adopted 114-86 by 
the House. Senate action is not required. The speaker 
appointed five members to serve on the committee: Reps. 
John Lawrence (R-Chester), Wendi Thomas (R-Bucks), 
Torren Ecker (R-Adams), Amen Brown (D-Philadelphia) and 
Danilo Burgos (D-Philadelphia). 

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

8

How	Pennsylvania	is	Addressing	the	
National	Shortage	of	Court	Reporters		

By: Amy Kehner, Judicial Programs administrator, and Melissa Keating, lead court reporter, Mercer County

Courts are facing a myriad of budgeting and administrative 
concerns while also being challenged to recruit and 
maintain new court reporters to fill vacancies created by 
retirements, vacations or illness.

The shortage of court reporter resources is further 
exacerbated because there is no “quick fix,” as proper 
schooling and training for steno reporters can take 
approximately two years.

A live stenographic court reporter is the best method to 
preserve and transcribe the official court record. Only 
a live court reporter can provide syllable-by-syllable 
authentication of every word, protect private information, 
and bear personal responsibility and accountability for the 
official record.

Increased Recruitment 
Increased Recruitment 

Court reporters are the “silent people” in the room and 
often lack widespread recognition as a career option for 
high school students. The Pennsylvania Court Reporters 
Association (PCRA), the National Court Reporters 
Association (NCRA), and Project Steno, a nonprofit 
organization, have spent tens of thousands of dollars on 
advertising to highlight this as a viable career option.

Recruiting efforts are directed to high schools, career 
centers and Vocational Technical (Vo-Tech) schools to help 
replenish the workforce. Pennsylvania is fortunate to have 
two brick-and-mortar schools teaching steno reporting 
– Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) and 
Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC). LCCC 
classes are offered online except for the steno machine 
classes and CCAC provides an online program.

In addition, Lehigh Carbon Community College is exploring 
implementing a court reporting program. The trend of 
moving courses to an online platform makes these classes 
more convenient and can reduce student loan debt.

Project Steno and NCRA Programs
Project Steno and NCRA Programs

Project Steno’s high school program focuses on bringing 
introductory classes directly to the high schools. 
Huntingdon County is working with their county Vo-Tech 
school to implement this program. This six-week program is 
at no cost to the school districts or the public, and Project 
Steno also provides the machines at no charge. The 
program is open to anyone and requires approximately 
1-hour per week with flexible days and times. After the 

(continued p. 10)

9

Challenges	for	counties

Some counties are advertising positions 
multiple times, and when they select 
candidates to interview, the candidate 
might not show up. Other counties face a 
lack of qualified candidates or must raise 
salaries to compete with neighboring 
counties.

Columbia/Montour 
Columbia/Montour 

In Columbia/Montour, the Commissioners 
approved raising the starting salary by 
forty percent to compete with the larger, 
surrounding counties vying for the same 
applicants. The court administrator 
compiled and shared salary information 
from other counties to highlight the disparity 
and support their request. Larger counties 
also struggle and are forced to increase 
their salaries too.

York County 
York County 

York County’s continuous challenge is 
replacing retiring reporters. One thing that 
has helped the county is the flexibility of 
the court administrator and commissioners 
to allow retired reporters to work part-time.

York County raised its rates to compete 
with some of the surrounding counties to 
make it financially comparable. They are 
also recruiting court reporting students 
by hosting high school students within the 
courthouse for career exploration programs. 
In addition, they are mentoring local court 
reporting students with the hope of hiring 
after graduation.

Luzerne County
Luzerne County

The county focused on developing 
relationships with their per diems – and 
helped meld them into the organization.  
Loyalty is a two-way street and county staff 
treated them as a vital part of their group – 
in turn leading to enhance service until they 
were able to bring new court reporters on 
board. 

program, Project Steno assists students with enrolling in 
a two-year program that meets their needs.

the termination of parental rights, custody and jury trials 
have long-term, life-changing effects for the parties. 

The NCRA offers two promising programs: the A to Z® 
Intro to Machine Steno program, a free, 8-week class 
that introduces interested individuals to the industry, 
and the Legal Education Program, offered through the 
National Court Reporters Foundation. This program 
consists of court reporter–led seminars educating law 
students, attorneys, judges, and justice protection groups 
on “Making the Record” and the value of using a trained 
stenographic court reporter.

Alternative methods 
Alternative methods 

Most judges prefer using a live stenographic court 
reporter. One reason is that a live court reporter, trained 
in Pennsylvania’s judicial system, possesses the skills 
to quickly stop a proceeding to clarify critical language, 
which is vital to making a complete and accurate written 
record. 

At the same time, judges acknowledge the need to 
consider other solutions.

Some states are using an online platform where a live 
steno reporter reports proceedings remotely in real-
time. A recently retired court reporter from Pennsylvania 
provides this real-time streaming service to judicial 
districts in Idaho and Colorado from her home. This 
approach can benefit our judicial districts that do not 
have local options and experienced professionals 
desiring more flexibility.

Another digital court reporting company recently 
upgraded its system to make its product more 
competitive among courts seeking a solution. In addition 
to a faster engine, their product includes sixteen high-
fidelity audio channels and four high-definition video 
channels to simultaneously record, monitor and live 
stream proceedings anywhere on the court’s network. 

Decision-makers must stay informed and aware of the 
benefits and limitations of each method and remain 
vigilant in evaluating technological advancements as 
they evolve.

Pennsylvania’s Rule 4000, which governs the making, 
preserving and transcribing of the record of proceedings 
in the judicial districts within the Unified Judicial System, 
has very stringent qualifications for court reporters to 
help ensure quality. However, there are no guidelines or 
standards for alternative methods.

Transcripts produced from recorded proceedings are 
often replete with “(inaudible)” and “(unintelligible)” in 
place of critical information, resulting in records being 
unable to be certified and rendered entirely devoid of 
any appellate use. 

Good enough is not an appropriate standard when 
taking the official court record where hearings such as 

Looking Ahead 
Looking Ahead 

Some judicial districts purchased digital court recording 
equipment using grants or COVID relief funds. As a 
result, more proceedings are recorded and sent to a 
transcription company, using the audio file to produce 
a formatted text document. Because this approach 
relies on different systems and specifications to create 
one accurate and complete transcript, there are some 
essential points to understand and consider when using 
a transcription company.

Important	Questions		
to	Consider	

Does the company use qualified 
professionals, and how are their skills 
assessed? 

Do they know that the recording 
sometimes picks up off-the-record 
discussions that should not be included 
in the transcript? 

Are they trained in legal terminology? 
Medical terminology? Complex litigation? 

Is a courtroom monitor present during 
the proceedings to monitor the recording 
and take notes of who is talking? 

Will the company use the same person 
to transcribe the entire proceeding, or 
will the recording be divided into one-
hour segments and given to different 
transcribers?

Stephanie Smith, deputy court 

Katie L. Otuyelu, chief court reporter,  

Tami B. Kline, district court administrator, 

Other contributors: Katie L. Otuyelu
York County I Tami B. Kline
Columbia/Montour I Stephanie Smith
administrator, Huntingdon County I Mary Corbin
administrator, Bradford County I Marlene Marriggi
court administrator, Luzerne County. Additional source: 
National Court Reporters Association, June 2022 Update to 
National Association of Court Management

Marlene Marriggi, deputy 

Mary Corbin, district court 

10

Commonwealth	Court	Transitions

After serving Commonwealth 
Court for seven years, 
Executive Administrator Gary 
Gary 
Hollinger
Hollinger retired. Previously, 
Gary spent 20 years with 
the Federal Judiciary and 
worked with other state and 
county agencies throughout 
his career. One of Gary’s 
many accomplishments was 
working with the first Court 
of Judicial Discipline when it 
was founded in 1993. Thank 
you Gary for your service 
and congratulations on your 
retirement!

Carbon County Magisterial District 
Judge William J. Kissner 
William J. Kissner was 
recently sworn in as president of the 
Special Court Judges Association 
of Pennsylvania (SCJAP) after first 
being elected as a Magisterial 
District Judge in 2011. 

Throughout his career, Kissner has 
been an active member of the SCJAP 
serving as the District 10 president 
from 2012 to 2020. 

Judge Kissner serves on multiple 
Carbon County committees – the 
Re-Entry Coalition, Law Enforcement 
Treatment Initiative, Criminal Justice 
Advisory Board and more. 

He has served on numerous state 
committees including constables 
relations, rules committee, strategic 
planning, budget and finance, audit 
committee and advisory board to 
the SCJAP president. In June 2020, 
Judge Kissner was elected by 500 

l to r: Gary Hollinger, Kurt Baldwin, Adam Wissler

Kurt 
Succeeding Gary is Kurt 
Baldwin
Baldwin, a Commonwealth Court employee since 2002 
and the legal systems coordinator since 2010. Kurt has 
provided excellent leadership and guidance throughout 
his career with the Court and going forward, he will 
continue to provide guidance for the administrative 
functions of the Court.  

Adam Wissler has moved into the role of 

In addition, Adam Wissler
legal systems coordinator. Adam began working for the 
judiciary in the AOPC/IT department in 2009 and has 
served in several supervisory positions since 2013 before 
transferring to Commonwealth Court in October 2021.

Congratulations to both Kurt and Adam!

SCJAP	Welcomes	Judge	Kissner	as	New	President	

Court, Pennsylvania court 
administrators, the Administrative 
Office of Pennsylvania Courts, 
president judges of the Court of 
Common Pleas, local officials, the 
Pennsylvania General Assembly, the 
Minor Judiciary Education Board, and 
his fellow MDJs on issues affecting 
and impacting the District Courts, 
while enhancing magisterial judges 
performance of their duties.

“Serving as president, I 
will work hard by way of my 
commitment and dedication 
to move the District Courts in 
the right direction, ensuring 
access along with fair and 
equal justice to all the 
members of the communities 
we serve,” Kissner said. 

Judge William J. Kissner

MDJs to serve as the SCJAP 2nd vice 
president.

Kissner will work closely with 
the Pennsylvania Supreme 

11

2021	Data	Reveals	Positive	Outcomes	for	Family	
Engagement	Initiative	Participating	Counties

By Angela Sager, judicial analyst, Office Children and Families in the Courts

Established by the Pennsylvania 
State Roundtable in 2017 and 
supported by the Office of Children 
and Families in the Courts, the 
Family Engagement Initiative (FEI) 
is designed to assist select counties 
in furthering collaborative efforts 
between dependency courts and 
child welfare agencies to enhance 
meaningful family involvement in 
the child dependency system. The 
FEI has three components that build 
upon the Permanency Practice 
Initiative. Those components are: 
Enhanced Legal Representation, 
Family Finding-Revised and Crisis/
Rapid Response Family Meetings.

Now in its fifth year, the FEI is 
operational in 18 Pennsylvania 
counties serving over 44 percent 
of Pennsylvania’s dependent 
children. The participating counties 
are Beaver, Blair, Bradford, 
Butler, Clinton, Dauphin, Fayette, 
Lackawanna, Lehigh, Lycoming, 
Northampton, Northumberland, 
Philadelphia, Snyder, Tioga, Union, 
Venango and Washington. 

During the 2022 Pennsylvania State 
Roundtable meeting held in June, 
the 2021 FEI Data Report was shared 
with State Roundtable members. This 
report includes the cumulative efforts 
and data elements of 15 FEI counties, 
excluding Philadelphia because of 
its size, and the three counties that 
just started the FEI in 2022 (Bradford, 
Lycoming, and Washington). 

The outcomes continue to be 
encouraging for FEI counties 
individually, collectively and, in 
comparison to non-FEI counties. 
One of the key components of the 
initiative is Crisis/Rapid Response 
Family Meetings. These family 
meetings involve gathering family 
and kin quickly following an 
emergency that might otherwise 
result in a child being placed out 
of home. The goal of either a Crisis 
(immediate to within 24 hours of the 

emergent event) or a Rapid (between 
25-72 hours) Response Family 
Meeting is for the family to address 
the urgent concern and develop 
a plan to either safely keep the 
child in their home or if placement 
must happen, place the child with 
someone they know and love. 

The majority of these meetings 
result in children not entering the 
court system, but for those who do, 
the family’s plan must be presented 
at the shelter care hearing so the 
judge can consider what the family 
believes is in the best interest of the 
child.

From 2018-2020, these family 
meetings exceeded expectations 
with positive results. The 2021 data 
continues to show very impressive 
outcomes. There were 676 meetings 
held serving 1,337 children. Of 
those meetings held, 85 percent 
had more family in attendance 
than professionals (one of the 
requirements of the meetings). At the 
conclusion of the meetings, for those 

12

children who were at home at the 
time of the meeting, 95 percent of 
children were able to safely remain 
at home or be placed with kin, with 
the vast majority safely staying 
home (79 percent). Follow-up data 
revealed that 30-days post meeting, 
92 percent remained at home or with 
someone they love. 

“As you can observe from the 
collection of data, these meetings 
are taking the government out from 
important family decisions and 
returning the power to the ever-
increasing definition of our “family 
and kin,” said Pa. Supreme Court 
Justice Kevin Dougherty
success has kept families together 
and reduced trauma connected to 
the removal of children to stranger 
care!” 

Kevin Dougherty. “Our 

Of the children under court 
supervision, the percent of cases that 
were court involved for 24 months 
or less (from point of adjudication 
forward) was 70 percent in FEI 
counties compared to 60 percent 

in non-FEI counties. FEI counties also have a larger 
number of children by percentage in kinship care (55 
percent) compared to non-FEI counties (40 percent). In FEI 
counties, more children are reunified (41 percent compared 
to 31 percent), and fewer age out (7 percent compared to 
13 percent).

While Philadelphia County is not included in the 2021 
report, its outcomes match other FEI counties’ positive 
results. 

“Philadelphia began FEI implementation in 2020 and was 
fully implemented by December 2021 and we are pleased 
with the results we are seeing so far,” said the Hon. 

Margaret T. Murphy, administrative judge, Philadelphia 
Family Division. “The FEI takes a total system effort -- 
judicial, child welfare, attorneys and providers -- to work 
together for the best interest of children and families.” 

In 2021, Philadelphia County held 578 Crisis/Rapid 
Response Family Meetings serving 890 children, 
decreased its overall number of children in out-of-home 
care by 20 percent, increased kinship care and reduced 
the use of both foster and congregate care placements. 

To access the FEI 2021 Data Report click here.

Bench	Dedicated	to	Honor	Allegheny	Judge	Zottola	

John Zottola, 

A bench dedication ceremony 
was held in late June to honor the 
memory of Judge John Zottola
former judge of Allegheny County 
Veterans Court. The bench 
dedication occurred at the Allegheny 
County Courthouse and was 
attended by family, friends, and his 
“court family.” Judge Zottola helped 
to change the lives of hundreds of 
veterans along with being a well-
respected colleague by his staff. 

Speakers at the event included Jill Jill 
E. Rangos
E. Rangos (administrative judge 
Criminal Division) Hon. Bruce 
Bruce 
R. Beemer, Deb Barnisin Lange 
R. Beemer
(assistant district attorney) and Mary 
Frances Pilarski (coordinator of 
health care for homeless veterans at 
the VA Pittsburgh). A speaker from 
the ceremony mentioned that Judge 
Zottola worked tirelessly to do more 
for justice-involved persons who 
entered his courtroom, especially 
those suffering mental illness.

To honor Judge Zottola and his work, 
the Veterans Court partners, and the 
Veterans Court Team, were honored 
to announce the inception of the 
Hon. John A. Zottola “Service to 
Veterans Court Award,” to be given 
annually in his honor at Veterans 
Court graduation, in memory of his 
contributions to treatment courts and 
service to veterans.

13

Common Pleas and federal judges, including President Judge Kim Berkeley 
Clark, stand with the bench made to honor Judge John Zottola.

Introducing		
Kids	to	Law
Judge Kasunic II Visits 
Elementary Schools

Richard 
In May, Magisterial District Judge Richard 
Kasunic II 
Kasunic II visited Marion Elementary School in 
Belle Vernon, Pa., where he read to the younger 
students and talked about a civil case regarding 
a lost puppy with the older students. 

“We wanted to teach the kids that there are two 
sides to every story,” he said.  

MDJ Kasunic II said he enjoys going into 
elementary schools to explain the law and make 
learning about the law enjoyable for them by 
trying to relate it to their lives. 

Judge Kasunic II sits down with a Marion Elementary kindergarten class to 
read them a book.

Video	helps	
co-parents	put	
children	first

The Pennsylvania Bar Association’s 
Family Law Section recently produced 
a new video aimed at helping parents 
work together to overcome everyday 
child custody challenges. 

The video, Tips and Tools for Better Co-
Parenting, offers advice by judges and 
mental health professions along with 
real-world examples and scenarios. 

The main message of the video is to 
encourage parents to communicate 
and interact in ways that minimize 
conflict and put the children first.  For 
parents going through a custody battle 
or even many years later, the anger 
may still be prevalent.  The video 
focuses on redirecting this anger to 
focus on the children rather than on the 
relationship with the co-parent. 

You can watch a short preview of the 
video now – or visit pabar.org/site/FLS 
to view the entire video. 

14

Band	of	Brothers	Tour

In June, Mercer County President 
Daniel P. Wallace went on a 
Judge Daniel P. Wallace
“Band of Brothers Tour” – starting 
in London and traveling to places 
around Europe, including Normandy, 
Bastogne and Munich etc. 

Focused on the impact and aftermath 
of World War II around Europe, these 
military historical tours include all five 
landing beaches, with a special focus 
on the American landing sectors. 

“Aside from Normandy, my favorite 
part of the tour was Bagstone, where 
Easy Company of the 101st Airborne 
Division was surrounded by Germans 
during the Battle of the Bulge. 

Easy Company = Band of 
Brothers. We could see the 
foxholes where they dug in,” 
Judge Wallace said. 

Prior to his judicial career, Wallace 
spent four years as an officer in the 
United States Army. Serving from 
1988-1992 in the M1A1 Tank Battalion 
in Germany, he was then deployed 
for combat during Operation Desert 
Storm. Initially sparking his interest in 
military history, Wallace attended the 
U.S. Military Academy at West Point 
in New York where he completed his 
undergraduate before obtaining his 
Juris Doctor at Dickinson School of 
Law. 

He later returned to Mercer County 
where he would first serve as an 
assistant public defender, and then 
as an associate working alongside his 
father, Archie Wallace, before being 
named partner in 2001. Wallace then 
served as a part-time public defender 
and a partner at Wallace & Dibble, 
LLP until he was elected as a judge on 
Nov. 5, 2013 – also his 25th wedding 
anniversary with his wife, Susan. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA’S COURTS, VISIT: 

www.pacourts.us

Facebook 
@pennsylvaniacourts

YouTube 
@PACourts

Twitter 
@PACourts

Instagram 
@pennsylvaniacourts

15

16

K9	Chase	Saves	the	Day

residence, clearing each floor. Upon 
entry into the third-floor bedroom, 
he began to show signs leading the 
handler to know a target odor was 
present in the room.  

Last September, the Lehigh 
County Adult Probation and Parole 
Department started its first Detection 
Kurt Ruane, Lehigh 
K9 program when Kurt Ruane
County Adult Probation/Parole, Gang 
Intelligence Unit, and K9 Chase, a 
15-month-old German Shorthaired 
Pointer, began an 8-week detection 
certification course.  

In November of 2021, the two 
completed the course and became 
certified by the National Police 
Canine Association in the detection 
of illegal narcotics, firearms and 
several opiate-based prescription 
narcotics. 

Since then, Kurt and K9 Chase 
have conducted several successful 
deployments in which firearms and/
or narcotics were located. 

Since early June of this year, K9 
Chase has located six firearms – but 
one deployment was of special note.

Recent mission accomplished 
Recent mission accomplished 

Recently, an approved search-of-
residence was conducted upon 
receiving information alleging 
firearms were in the residence of a 
parolee. 

Being trained in the detection of 
firearms, K9 Chase was deployed 
and conducted a search of the 

K9 Chase searched the room 
thoroughly and provided a focused 
response along a seam located 
in the wall – and upon further 
inspection, it was discovered that 
a false wall had been built into the 
room.  

The wall was removed and located 
inside were several large duffel bags 
and plastic containers. As these 
items were being removed, the team 
discovered a secret compartment 
located along the roof line of the 
residence. 

A small door was removed from the 
compartment and located within it 
were a couple of firearms, including 
a SKS 7.62 mm rifle and a Sig Sauer 
5.56 mm rifle which had been 
reported stolen out of Virginia. 

A forensic analysis later led to 
fingerprint confirmation and K9 
Chase got a yummy treat on his way 
home from work that day!

17

Editors
Stacey Witalec
Kim Bathgate

Writers
Casey Scheffler
Emma Cantor

Contributors
Patti Campbell
Rhonda Hocker
Stephen Baldwin

Graphic	Design
Gretchen Smith

Photography
Kyle Kauffman

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

Debra Todd
Justice

Christine Donohue
Justice

Kevin M. Dougherty
Justice

David N. Wecht
Justice

Sallie Updyke Mundy
Justice

P. Kevin Brobson
Justice 

Developing	Empathy	and	Compassion		
to	Avoid	Division	in	the	Workplace	

Excerpt reprinted with permission from BHS Focus ©2022 

The increased diversity and division in our culture these 
days makes empathy and compassion in the workplace 
an even more critical skill for employees and employers 
to develop. Without empathy and compassion, the 
workplace would be an emotional battlefield where no 
one would feel safe to share their ideas or concerns, 
ask for what they need to improve their work, or have a 
healthy work-life balance for fear of being fired. Empathy 
and compassion are the cornerstones to creating a work 
environment that promotes healthy interaction, positive 
morale, and a sense of feeling valued in the workplace. In 
fact, according to research conducted by McKee, David, 
Chaskalson, and Chussil in 2017, increased empathy 
impacts our work effectiveness, thereby improving our 
skills as workers and managers.

The general consensus among researchers is that 
empathy is the ability to sense another person’s emotions, 
while also being able to imagine what someone else 
might be thinking or feeling. Empathy is the foundation 
of compassion, which is defined as the concern for the 
suffering or misfortune of others and a desire to alleviate 
that suffering. In other words, empathy is identifying 
and sympathizing with what the other person may be 
experiencing and feeling, while compassion is the act 
of helping that hurting person either physically and/or 
emotionally.

Many corporations have been utilizing employee trainings 
with a focus on developing the five components of 
emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, 
motivation, empathy, and social skills. Emotional 
intelligence is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as: "The 
capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s 
emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships 
judiciously and empathetically." Although empathy is not 
an attribute that all people are born with, it is a skill that 
can be learned by using self-awareness and mindfulness 
to notice how our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors 
affect those around us. Empathy is also gained through 
the process of reading non-verbal cues, such as facial 
expressions, tone of voice, and body language.

According to PositivePsychology.com, there are eight 
strategies to developing empathy:

1.  Cultivate curiosity about the people you interact with 
who may come from different religious, ethnic, or 
political backgrounds.

2.  Step outside your comfort zone and learn something 
new, which can foster feelings of humility and lead to 
empathy.

3.  Ask for feedback from others regarding your active 
listening and relationship skills, and identify areas 
that you can improve.

4.  Examine how your biases impact your capacity to 

empathize when you make judgments about others 
who are different than you.

5.  Spend time with others who you usually don’t connect 
with and practice active listening to help you "walk in 
their shoes."

6.  Practice having difficult but respectful conversations 
with those who have different points of view by 
listening without interruption and being open to new 
ideas.

7.  Work on a shared cause with people different than 
you. Research has shown this can help to heal 
differences and remove biases.

8.  Expand your reading and expose yourself to different 
points of view through a variety of articles, books, and 
newspapers.

As we become more mindful of the way we treat others, 
we can take responsibility for doing our part to create 
a more accepting and validating environment in the 
workplace. Developing the skill of empathy, which is a 
necessary step to compassion, is crucial to promoting 
the evolution of a supportive and thriving workplace 
atmosphere.

18

TRENDS IN STATE  
COURTS 2022
BEST PRACTICES, INNOVATIVE 
APPROACHES TO COURT ADMINISTRATION

Excerpt reproduced with permission by National Center 
of State Courts @2022

Collaboration, cooperation and communication are just 
some of the themes featured in Trends in State Courts 
2022. Regardless of the project, process or policy, these 
actions are critical for success in today’s evolving court 
environment.

“Outside events have a way of driving change—and 
change has a way of driving innovation,” notes NCSC 
President Mary McQueen in the publication’s introduction. 
“Change is the one constant in our society, and the 
courts must embrace the opportunities that change can 
generate.”

Trends in State Courts 2022 is a compilation of 13 articles 
that covers everything from eliminating racism and bias 
in the courts to case management, data standards and 
artificial intelligence. Authors also explore different 
approaches to public outreach in “Meet People Where 
They Are!” and “Promoting Public Awareness of Court 
Resources by Advertising.”

Blending voices and perspectives from the courts, court 
partners, academia and NCSC subject-matter experts, 
this year’s edition promises to leave readers with practical 
applications, timely insights and inspiring thought 
leadership. Additional articles featured in the publication 
include:

•  Creating a Post-Pandemic Eviction Court

•  Action Steps to Eliminating Racism and Bias in the 

Courts

• 

• 

System

The Maryland Justice Passport: Making Effective 
Referrals from Court Help Centers

Truancy CARE Court: The Unique Role of the 
Collaborative Court Judge

•  Meeting the Needs of Emerging Adults in the Justice 

19

• 

Effective Monitoring of Guardianship and 
Conservatorship Cases

•  Reimagining Civil Case Management

•  Moving Court Cases Forward: Simulating the Impact 

of Policy Changes on Caseloads

•  National Open Court Data Standards

• 

• 

Exploring the Utility of a DCM Method to Improve Pre-
Indictment Dispositions

Essential Elements and Ethical Principles for 
Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Courts

A project led by NCSC’s Knowledge and Information 
Services division, Trends in State Courts is an annual, 
peer-reviewed publication that highlights innovative 
practices in critical areas that are of interest to courts, and 
often serves as a guide for developing new initiatives and 
programs and informing and supporting policy decisions. 
Trends in State Courts is the only publication of its kind 
and enjoys a wide circulation among the state court 
community.

Learn more about the submission process for the 2023 
publication and the Oct. 17, 2022, abstract deadline.