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Official newsletter of the
Pennsylvania Judicial System
Issue 6, 2022
In this issue
Read about a federal grant awarded to Pa. courts to protect
Pennsylvania elders, a new interactive magisterial district court map,
the culturally responsive court and more.
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Pennsylvania Judiciary Awarded Federal Grant
to Further Develop Programs to Protect Elders
The Pennsylvania judiciary
has been awarded over
$1 million in federal
Elder Justice Innovation
Grant funds to further
support its work to protect
older Pennsylvanians.
Pennsylvania was one of
three states to receive the
award.
The three-year grant,
awarded through the
federal Administration for
Community Living, Elder
Justice Innovation Grant
program, aims to provide
assistance to states in
their efforts to assess and
implement improvements
in the handling of adult
guardianship cases.
“We are grateful for
this grant award,
which will allow us to
continue educating
elders and their families
about guardianship,”
Pennsylvania Chief
Justice Debra Todd said.
“Knowledge is power and
these additional resources
provide a tremendous
opportunity to develop new
and innovative programs
and trainings which will
give people the information
they need to change lives
across Pennsylvania.
“We are pleased that
Pennsylvania was
successful in winning
this award, amid such
a competitive group of
applicants. We extend
our sincere thanks to
the Administration for
Community Living.”
The grant work in
Pennsylvania will be
overseen by the Office
we can further develop
relationships to continue
building on the existing
system in place to support
elders and their families.”
This article is supported
by the Administration for
Community Living (ACL),
U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services
(HHS) as part of a financial
assistance award totaling
more $1,145,290, with 100
percent funding by the
ACL/HHS. The contents
are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily
represent the official views
of, nor an endorsement,
by ACL/HHS, or the U.S.
Government.
of Elder Justice in the
Courts (OEJC) which
was established by the
Supreme Court to assist
the Court in implementing
recommendations
contained in the 2014 Elder
Law Task Force’s Report
and Recommendations.
The OEJC, along with
the Advisory Council on
Elder Justice and the
Courts, is committed to
protecting Pennsylvania’s
rapidly growing population
of elders from all forms
of abuse and neglect,
promoting best practices
and educating judges,
court staff, attorneys,
guardians and the public
about elder abuse.
Among the projects
planned, the OEJC and
the Advisory Council
intend to deploy two
pilot projects focused on
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providing trained counsel
to represent alleged
incapacitated persons in
guardianship proceedings
and using court-appointed
volunteer monitors to visit
the individual prior to and
following the appointment
of a guardian. They will also
develop and implement
continuing education
programs and online
video modules for judges,
court staff, attorneys and
guardians.
“We are thrilled to pilot
these new programs along
with the help of our court
and community partners,”
Montgomery County
Administrative Orphans’
Court Judge Lois Murphy
said. “Initiatives like these
directly impact elders and
their families and allow
us to learn more about
what they need and how
Northumberland County Courthouse
Renovations Nearly Complete
The Northumberland County Courthouse Rehabilitation
project – including interior and exterior renovations – is
expected to be finished by the end of this year.
Though a magnificent structure, just like most historic
buildings, the courthouse suffered from issues caused by
aging such as cracks, water damage, general wear and
the lack of a proper HVAC system.
“The courthouse has been the visible symbol of
Northumberland County government for more than 150
years. The exterior facelift has provided much needed
aesthetic and structural improvements and the installation
of HVAC throughout the building will improve air flow,
have better temperature control and create an improved
working environment,” said Northumberland County
District Court Administrator Kevin O’Hearn.
“The repurposing of the law library into a courtroom along
with the addition of a new conference room allows for
additional space to accommodate the county’s increasing
caseload. This renovation will allow the courthouse to
retain the historical character of the building while meeting
current needs.”
Originally constructed in 1865, a subsequent three-story
major addition was built on the southern portion of the
building in 1911. In addition, the building was placed on the
U.S. Department of Interior’s National Register of Historic
Places in July 1974.
The building’s appearance is distinguished by its
brownstone corner quoins, sills, headers and wall accents
at doorways and window openings – in addition to a
clock tower with a copper dome. The building’s interior
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arrangement is still in keeping with the original 1865
and 1911 schemes, which is partially due to the original
masonry construction and the later addition being steel
and concrete.
The project began in February 2020 with a study that
assessed what needed to be done to properly renovate
the building, and renovation work began in June 2021.
The $4.5 million project is funded through a combination
of grant awards and county funds.
“I am extremely proud of the renovated courthouse –
a visible symbol of the importance of the court in the
community. It is worthy of its position on the corner of the
town square park, and its clock tower and gold dome can
be seen from afar, both in the daytime and lit up at night,
even from the other side of the Susquehanna River,” said
President Judge Charles H. Saylor.
“This is a facility that retained all of its historical features
of a century and a half old courthouse, with present day
practicality,” he said.
A few minor renovations, such as the replacement of its
stained-glass windows, will take place at a later date. Also,
the landscape around the Courthouse will be undergoing
some improvements to complement the refurbished style
of the building.
The next time you are driving through Sunbury, Pa., listen
for the ringing of the clock tower bell, dating back to 1872.
The bell rings on the hour every hour.
Coming Soon: New Interactive
Magisterial District Court Map
By Michael Passiment, administrator, AOPC/Judicial District Operations and Programs
The ability to visualize data can
improve outcomes for public sector
decision makers and citizens alike.
During the height of the COVID-19
pandemic, some public health officials
turned to data visualization tools to
monitor and target procurement of
resources to those regions most in
need. Likewise, citizens used mapping
technology to know the extent of
COVID-19 cases in their community
and respond to public health notices
accordingly.
Connecting citizens with critical
government agencies and services
is considered a fundamental goal of
all public sector agencies. Likewise,
programs that ensure the courts are
accessible are a key responsibility
for the Administrative Office of
Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC).
The AOPC/Judicial District Operations
and Programs department is
preparing to launch an interactive
magisterial district court (MDC) map.
Developed in partnership with the
Pennsylvania State Data Center, this
map will allow users to visualize the
boundaries of all magisterial districts
in Pennsylvania.
Users will also be able to locate MDJ
office locations and pinpoint other key
criminal justice stakeholder locations
(e.g., police departments, prisons and
central court locations).
This map will also serve as a valuable tool for judges,
court administrators and other judiciary stakeholders
who receive regular public inquiries regarding
magisterial district jurisdiction and boundaries.
For judicial districts that eliminated or realigned
magisterial districts as part of the decennial
reestablishment process, this tool will be helpful in
adjusting to the new boundaries.
Figure 1: Landmarks plotted
across the commonwealth,
including police departments,
prisons and magisterial district
courts, on the new MDC map.
The use of this map for basic
magisterial district information is
simply the beginning. With a base
map now established, this tool
can continue to be developed to
include more detailed information
on case filings and other statistics.
It can continue to serve the public
by keeping them informed and
facilitate more thorough and
effective decision making for
administrators and judges across
the commonwealth.
The map will be available for public
use on the PA Courts website in
January 2023.
Figure 2: Dauphin County MDCs displayed on the new map. In addition to boundaries, users
can locate relevant criminal justice landmarks (prisons, police departments and MDJ courts).
NOTE: Boundaries displayed here are not reflective of the recently adopted realignments/
eliminations as part of the decennial Reestablishment process.
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Regardless of their community
or profession, the panelists
were engaging, passionate and
appreciative of the opportunity to
share insights and offer thoughts
about how the court can enhance its
relationship with its local communities.
In the final training segment,
attendees were asked to consider
what they learned throughout
the full-day training and create a
multidisciplinary action plan to support
the needs of the diverse survivors in
their communities.
They discussed the process gaps in
their court and brainstormed ways
to share resources and internal
knowledge across systems and
jurisdictions. Natalia Petrova,
Interpreter Program administrator,
answered questions about the
interpreter certification process and
where to find pre-translated court
forms.
Rather than attributing characteristics
of a group to an individual, a culturally
responsive approach responds to
individual needs by building inclusive
environments.
The team that put this training series
together is optimistic that attendees
returned to their home jurisdiction,
ready to lead their courts into a future
where diverse survivors' needs are at
the forefront.
A webinar for court staff, including
programming and panel presentations
from this training series, will be
available in 2023.
The Culturally Responsive Court
By Amy Kehner, judicial programs administrator and Jamie Pizzi, AOPC STOP
grant consultant
How culturally responsive is your
court? In 2021, the AOPC contracted
with the Center for Court Innovation
(CCI) to lead an assessment of the
commonwealth's protection order
processes using online surveys and
direct interviews.
CCI’s findings include interpreter
services enhancements and forms to
provide more consistent services to
the diverse communities we serve.
While these problems are not unique
to Pennsylvania, they highlight areas
where our courts can become more
responsive to the needs of the diverse
populations they serve who have
experienced interpersonal violence,
sexual assault and stalking.
Using findings from the assessment,
the AOPC's STOP Violence Against
Women Formula Grant Team and
Interpreter Program combined efforts
to create The Culturally Responsive
Court – Regional Justice System
Training Series.
AOPC offered sessions in Pittsburgh,
State College, Lancaster, Philadelphia,
Bethlehem and Scranton from
Nov. 15 through Dec. 1. Over 400
management-level stakeholders
attended this unique educational
opportunity where the audience
included judges, court administrators,
police, advocates, attorneys, juvenile
and adult probation supervisors and
others.
The program included programming
from CCI, a presentation on
accent bias by AOPC's Interpreter
Certification Coordinator, Ilana
Torres, and a lively discussion
with an expert forensic linguist, Dr.
Robert Leonard. Each location also
featured a local judge to moderate
an esteemed panel of diverse
community representatives unique to
each training site, determined by the
languages most spoken in that region.
The panels highlighted cultures,
including Colombian, Congo, Bhutan,
Egyptian, South Korean, Asian-Pacific,
Swahili, Burmese, Russian, Chinese
and the Plain Communities (Amish/Old
Order Mennonite). The panelists were
as distinctive as their cultures and
included certified Pennsylvania Court
interpreters, court employees, college
professors, lawyers and an engineer
turned writer, educator and speaker.
5
Legislative Roundup by Damian J. Wachter, Esq.
On Nov. 30, the 2021-22 legislative session ended. Bills not enacted during the two-year
session must be reintroduced next session. During the session, over 2,900 House and 1,300
Senate bills were introduced – 293 bills were enacted into law, three amendments to the
constitution were passed either for a first or second time, and 17 vetoes were issued.
In early November, all 203 House and 25 Senate seats were
on the ballot. The results will bring significant changes
to the General Assembly, especially in the House. After
a delay waiting for outcomes in two races – the 142nd in
Bucks County and the 151st in Montgomery County – the
Democrats claimed a slim 102-101 majority in the House.
The margin is not without complications. Included in the
Democrats 102 is Rep. Tony DeLuca, who passed away in
October but won the election. Additionally, Representatives
Summer Lee and Austin Davis were reelected to their
state House seats and to other offices. Both have since
resigned their House seats. All three seats require special
elections, and both caucus leaders issued election writs.
While agreement had existed on the date of the special
election for the DeLuca seat – February 7 – the dates for
the other two differ. Democrats set the elections for those
seats also for February 7, while the Republicans set them
for May 16. A lawsuit filed by the Republican Leader in
Commonwealth Court seeks an order declaring the writs
issued by the Democratic Leader invalid and enjoining the
board of elections from proceeding with the February 7
special elections.
The Senate is much less complex. The Democrats picked
up one seat, a new district in the Lehigh Valley, and the
chamber stands at 27-22 in favor of the GOP, with one
vacancy in the safe GOP 27th district.
Both chambers will convene on Jan. 3 for swearing-in
ceremonies.
Senate Condolence Resolution –
Chief Justice Baer
Senate Resolution 381 honors the life and achievements of
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer. The
resolution was adopted by the Senate 50-0.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments
Article V (Judiciary)
At least 12 proposed amendments seeking to amend Art.
V were introduced in the 2021-22 session. One of the
proposed amendments, providing for district elections for
appellate court judges, had already passed in the prior
legislative session (2019-20). After being voted from a
House committee early in 2021, the bill languished on the
floor and died with the end of session.
The other proposed amendments – establishing term
limits for appellate jurists, requiring all jurists to stand
for reelection, creating a legislative role in procedural
6
rulemaking, requiring the election of common pleas
president judges in counties with three or more judges,
establishing appellate court merit selection, repealing the
judicial compensation clause, establishing six-year terms
for all jurists, and requiring Supreme Court justices to run
for reelection every four years – had not passed previously
nor were they considered in enough time this session
to meet the constitutional deadline for publication three
months before the next general election.
Thus, all 12 proposed amendments will require
reintroduction in the 2023-24 session and, if passed, a
second passage in 2025-26 will be required before any can
be submitted to the electorate.
Endangerment of Public Safety Official
Act 165 of 2022 amends Title 18, codifying a new offense,
endangerment of a public safety official. The act defines
the offense as intentionally or knowingly communicating,
or publishing through an electronic social media service,
the restricted personal information of a public safety official
or a family or household member thereof with reckless
disregard or the intent that the information will be used to
threaten, intimidate or facilitate the commission of a crime
against the public safety official or a family or household
member.
The offense is graded generally as a misdemeanor of the
first degree, unless the offense results in bodily injury,
in which it is a felony of the first degree. The act defines
public safety official by cross reference to 18 Pa.C.S. § 2702
(c), which includes judges of any court in the judiciary.
MDJs and Referral to Collection Agencies
Act 163 of 2022 amends Title 42, allowing MDJs to turn
delinquent accounts over to a private collection entity if
a defendant fails to appear for a financial determination
hearing. A defendant may request a new hearing, and upon
such request, collection activities must cease, but may
resume if the defendant fails to appear at the new financial
determination hearing. The act allows for the waiver or
reductions of fines and costs for defendants found unable
to pay, except those levied pursuant to the Crimes Victim
Act.
Family Finding
Act 118 of 2022 amends Titles 42 and 67, requiring that
during a permanency hearing a court must 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. The act clarifies the
legislative intent of family finding to ensure that each child
leaving foster care at age 18 and older is prepared for
transition to successful adulthood.
The act updates the definition of family finding to better
reflect current practice and defines the terms permanency
plan and transition plan. The act provides for new statutory
sections specifically governing permanency and transition
plans and services and requires county agencies to submit
data to DHS for a child 18 years of age and older at the time
the court terminates jurisdiction over the child.
Finally, Act 118 incorporates provisions of separate
legislation outlining a comprehensive, but technical
reorganization of Title 67, including moving Family Finding
and Kinship Care from Chapter 31 to Chapter 75.
Greater Father Involvement
Act 114 of 2022 creates the Pennsylvania Advisory
Committee on Greater Father Involvement within the Joint
State Government Commission (JSGC). The act requires
the JSGC to appoint at least 13 individuals to the advisory
committee, including those with expertise in adoption
and foster care, family law and custody, and the juvenile
dependency and delinquency systems.
The advisory committee is directed to work with
government and other entities to recognize and promote
the contributions that fathers make to improving societal
outcomes for children and families, evaluate governmental
programs and initiatives that impact fatherhood and
make recommendations regarding needed improvements,
develop a comprehensive plan to support early and lifelong
father/child connections and recommend changes to
statutes, rules and regulations. The committee must issue
a report to the governor and the General Assembly by Dec.
31, 2023.
Titles 23 and 67 Study
House Resolution 228 was adopted by the House 168-32
and no Senate action is required. The resolution directs
the JSGC to conduct a comprehensive study of “statutes
and regulations promulgated under Titles 23 and 67 …
in the past five years [that remain] in effect [and] have
exacerbated trauma in children and families and make
recommendations on statutes and regulations in a trauma-
informed manner.” The resolution requires the JSGC to
establish an advisory committee within 90 days of adoption
to assist with the study.
Suspension of Operating Privilege
Act 107 of 2022 amends Title 75, requiring PennDOT
to update driver records to address an active sanction
imposed for a conviction of any controlled substance
offense under law, changing the record to indicate the
active departmental sanction has ended. The act repeals
provisions imposing a suspension of operating privilege
upon receipt of a certified record of conviction, adjudication
7
of delinquency or admission into a preadjudication program
for the offenses of misrepresentation of age to secure liquor
or malt or brewed beverages, purchase, consumption,
possession or transportation of liquor or malt or brewed
beverages and carrying a false identification card.
House Rule Changes
Car Lease and Remote Participation
House Resolution 243 was divided and considered in two
parts by the House. Senate action is not required. First, the
resolution repeals provision currently authorizing the chief
clerk to enter into a master lease agreement with DGS for
the long-term lease of automobiles for House members
and adds language expressly prohibiting the practice. The
resolution further prohibits members from using state
funds to purchase automobiles for official purposes. This
part of the resolution was adopted 191-1.
Second, the resolution repeals the rules currently allowing
for voting by designation on the House floor and in
committee, as well as remote interactive participation in
House session by the members. This part of the resolution
was adopted 109-83.
Impeachment of Philadelphia District Attorney
Larry Krasner
House Resolution 240 was adopted by the House 107-
85. A trial in the Senate pursuant to Pa. Const. Art. VI, § 5
will commence next year. The resolution brought seven
articles of impeachment. The articles allege misbehavior in
office in dereliction of duty and refusal to enforce the law,
obstruction of a House Select Committee investigation,
violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct and the
Code of Judicial Conduct for impropriety and appearance
of impropriety in three cases, violation of victim rights and
violation of the Constitution of Pennsylvania by usurpation
of the legislative function.
The speaker appointed Reps. Tim Bonner (R-Mercer), Craig
Williams (R-Delaware) and Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia)
as impeachment managers. The Senate adopted Senate
Resolution 386 and Senate Resolution 388 to establish
rules for the impeachment proceeding and directing the
issuance of a writ of impeachment summons.
{Damian Wachter, Esq.
is the acting director of
Legislative Affairs.}
Emerging Issues: Measuring Success
In October, Andrea Tuominen, deputy
state court administrator, and Angela
Sobol Lowry, Problem-Solving Courts
administrator, traveled to Colorado for
the 2022 Treatment Courts Summit,
along with Montgomery County
Common Pleas Judge Steven O’Neill,
who oversees the county’s drug court
and opioid intervention court and
serves as faculty for the National Drug
Court Institute.
This bi-annual meeting was convened
by the Behavioral Health Committee
of the Conference of Chief Justices
and Conference of State Court
Administrators and the Council of
State Treatment Court Coordinators.
The summit was held at the Colorado
State Court Administrator’s Office
in Denver, which provided an
opportunity for chief justices (or
designee), state court administrators
(or designee) and state-level
treatment court coordinators to
network, share research, best
practices and policies and develop
a plan to enhance problem-solving
courts in each state.
The theme of this year’s summit was
Emerging Issues: Measuring Success.
The summit provided an opportunity
for attendees to hear from experts on
topics such as emerging drug trends,
measuring fidelity to the treatment
court model, universal screening and
assessment and harm reduction.
One of the focus points of the summit
looked at best-practice standards –
essentially, how a program measures
success is their adherence to the
best-practice standards which are
rooted in research and help to
guide the work of treatment courts
(accrediting programs, trainings, data
collection, etc.).
8
The summit helped validate some
of the initiatives that Pa. is already
working on such as enhancing and
expanding our accreditation program,
hosting monthly lunch & learns
and working to increase our data
collection in the Problem-Solving
Adult and Juvenile Courts Information
System – known as PAJCIS.
Autism and Dependency Court Regional Summits Educate
and Train Dependency Court Personnel and Partners
Spearheaded by Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty
on behalf of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, two
regional summits were recently held in the northeast and
central regions on Autism 101, diagnosis and community
support to educate and train local courthouse personnel,
child welfare professionals and dependency court partners,
including juvenile and adult probation and other community
providers.
“Education and awareness are critical to ensuring we are
providing for the needs of all Dependency Court users,
especially those with autism,” Justice Dougherty said. “The
more we learn, the more we grow as a system and as a
community, but most importantly in our ability to be part of
the type of positive change that will impact Pennsylvania
families.”
Over 500 attendees, representing 60 different
organizations from 25 counties, including local children and
youth, courthouse personnel, law enforcement, schools and
community service providers, were present between the
two locations.
The regional summits are part of a five-county, effort to
expand locally on the work that the statewide Autism and
Dependency Court taskforce has undertaken.
With nearly one in 44 children and one in 56 adults*
diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), judges
are sure to have individuals living with autism come before
them. The primary goal of the Autism and Dependency
Court Taskforce is to provide a positive dependency court
experience for children and parents with ASD by increasing
professional awareness and responsiveness.
The planning committee for the regional summits included:
• Lead Dependency Judge, Judge Ryan Tira,
• Children and Youth Administrator, Matthew Salvatori,
• President Judge Michael Sholley, Snyder and Union
Lycoming County
Lycoming County
Counties
Snyder County
Luzerne County
Lackawanna County
in the Courts
• Children and Youth Administrator, Jennifer Napp-Evans,
• Children and Youth Administrator, Matt Erst, Union County
• Lead Dependency Judge, Judge Jennifer Rogers,
• Children and Youth Administrator, Kerry Browning,
• Director, Sandra Moore, Office of Children and Families
• Judicial Analyst, Jennifer Doyle, Office of Children and
Families in the Courts
more information
For more information, visit www.ocfcpacourts.us.
9
Adams County One-Stop Shop Serving Clients and Families
In January 2022, Adams
County Domestic Relations
Section established an
employment program to
connect with unemployed
defendants with opportunities
to obtain gainful employment.
This initiative was in
collaboration with Pennsylvania
CareerLink and local
employers who were able
to provide employment and
educational opportunities
immediately following court
proceedings.
This one-stop shop approach
provided clients leaving
the courtroom with a PA
CareerLink work search
order, registration as well as
orientation with PA CareerLink
and in most cases offers of
employment.
All clients within the civil and
criminal justice system are
eligible for employment related
funding through PA CareerLink.
This funding provides
assistance with overcoming a
plethora of barriers to enable
them to be successful with
their employment goals.
The program has significantly
changed the perception of the
Domestic Relations Sections’
mission of serving clients and
families and increased child
support collections.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA’S COURTS, VISIT:
www.pacourts.us
Facebook
@pennsylvaniacourts
YouTube
@PACourts
Twitter
@PACourts
Instagram
@pennsylvaniacourts
10
Camp
Abilities
This past summer, Chester
County Magisterial District Judge
Marc Lieberman spent a week
volunteering at an athletic camp for
blind and deaf children.
Camp Abilities in Brockport, NY is a
one-week educational sports camp,
usually held the week before the 4th
of July.
The kids that attend camp are
referred to as athletes whereas the
counselors are known as coaches and
come from all over the world. Some
coaches volunteer so they can learn
how the camp is run and take those
lessons back to their home country.
There are about two coaches to
every athlete when you include all
the specialist individual coaches,
nurses etc. – almost all of whom
are volunteers. Each athlete has
an individual coach to help them
navigate Brockport’s campus.
Judge Lieberman’s role at the camp
was to take the campers sailing on
Lake Ontario. Known as Coach Marc,
the sailing instructor, he taught the
class with his father and a visually
impaired sailboat racer from Florida.
“It’s incredible to watch a kid who is
blind figure out which way the wind
is blowing and get the feel of how to
steer the boat accordingly,” he said.
The athletes get to experience a
variety of activities during camp. They
learn to run, swim, kayak, paddle
board, climb a ropes course, play
Beep Baseball and Goalball. Goalball
is a paralympic sport and some of the
U.S. Paralympic Goalball team was in
attendance at this year’s camp.
“If you want to be inspired, watch
a 10-year-old kid that is visually
impaired, that is probably only about
4 feet tall and weighs around 50
lbs. climb a ropes course and walk
across a tight rope 30 feet up,” Judge
Lieberman said.
Dr. Lauren Lieberman, professor at
SUNY Brockport in Adaptive Physical
Education and Judge Lieberman’s
sister, created the camp over 25
years ago and has since started these
camps all over the world, including
an upcoming trip to start a camp
in Kenya. Notably, there is a Camp
Abilities at West Chester University as
well as others throughout the U.S.
Most of the athletes, when at home,
don’t get to spend a lot of time with
other blind and hearing-impaired kids
and so it is really empowering for
these kids to spend time together.
Many have also had very little physical
activity throughout their life as parents
often live in fear that their child may
get hurt and schools do not always
know how to include them.
Most physical education (P.E.)
teachers don’t know what to do with
a blind or deaf child, so they often
sit out during P.E. The camp teaches
them what they are capable of and
how to advocate for themselves.
The athlete can go back to his or her
school and tell the P.E. teacher how
he or she can be included.
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The camp empowers the kids to not
only participate in P.E. but teaches
them they can participate in other
areas of society as well.
“You know the camp is successful
when it’s time to leave. Tears are
shed by both athletes and coaches
knowing that they will have to wait
a whole year before they can come
back,” Judge Lieberman said.
more information
More information about the camp
can be found at https://www.
campabilities.org/.
New Assistant Director of
AOPC Research and Statistics
Andrew Ginder has recently joined
the AOPC management team with
his promotion to assistant director of
the AOPC/Department of Research
and Statistics.
For the past six years, Andrew
has served as the department’s
caseload statistics analyst, working
with counties to build the annual,
statewide caseload database.
The department’s work isn’t limited
to the numbers; among Research
Department projects that Andrew
will oversee are topical studies
and data reports to Supreme Court
committees and work groups,
publishing the monthly Caseload
Highlights report to a statewide
audience, tracking the impact of
the pandemic on court operations,
implementing a State Justice
Institute grant to pilot automated
collection of civil case management
data and assisting other AOPC
departments with data handling and
reporting projects.
Before joining AOPC, Andrew
served for over seven years as
senior researcher with the Maryland
Administrative Office of the Courts,
overseeing case processing
performance in Maryland’s trial
and appellate courts, completing
several staffing adequacy analyses,
and facilitating the deployment
of a statewide electronic case
management system.
Andrew also served for several
years as an analyst with the
Legislative Budget and Finance
Committee of the Pennsylvania
General Assembly, as well as a
research associate with the Council
on Virginia’s Future in Richmond,
Virginia.
His extensive experience in
state government gives Andrew
a well-informed perspective on
the challenges and opportunities
specific to management in a public
agency.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Government and
Political Affairs from Millersville
University and a Master of Public
Administration degree from
Pennsylvania State University. He
is also a Certified Court Executive
(CCE) through the National Center
for State Courts’ Institute for Court
Management.
Andrew lives in Dillsburg with his
wife and four sons. In his spare time,
he enjoys reading, running, playing
tennis and hiking.
Congratulations Andrew!
12
Editors
Stacey Witalec
Kim Bathgate
Writers
Casey Scheffler
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
Debra Todd
Chief Justice of Pennsylvania
Christine Donohue
Justice
Kevin M. Dougherty
Justice
David N. Wecht
Justice
Sallie Updyke Mundy
Justice
P. Kevin Brobson
Justice
Members of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Hold Local
Forum to Recognize ‘The Supreme Court at 300:
History, Innovation and Judicial Decision-Making’
law students the chance to
learn more and understand
how the Court operates,
we’re opening the door to
new discussions and laying
a foundation for the next
generation of professionals
and jurists.”
Justice Mundy was joined
on the panel by Justice
Emeritus Tom Saylor,
Justices Kevin Dougherty
and Kevin Brobson as well
as Geoff Moulton, state
court administrator and
Terry Sachs, counsel to
the Court.
The panel discussion
covered the Court’s history,
contributions to the legal
system, relationship
between state and federal
courts and the increased
use of specialty courts and
new initiatives focused on
providing access to justice
for individuals with an
autism spectrum disorder.
The event was open to
the public in the historic
Tioga County Courthouse
and was streamed live
as an opportunity for
law schools and school
districts statewide to
bring the courts into their
classrooms.
Created by the Judiciary
Act of 1722, the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania is
the oldest appellate court
in North America, predating
even the Supreme Court of
the United States by nearly
70 years and for which it
served as a model as the
federal appellate court was
established.
more
information
More information
about the history of
the Court and its 300th
anniversary is available
here and via Facebook @
PennsylvaniaCourts and
Twitter @PAcourts.
Focused on educating the
public about the work and
role of the courts, members
of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania gathered
in Tioga County on Dec.
9, for a panel discussion
as part of the continued
recognition of the Court’s
300th anniversary.
On behalf of the Court,
Justice Sallie Mundy
conceptualized the panel
discussion as a way to
bring the Court to the
community.
“The work and opinions
of this court impact
residents in all corners of
Pennsylvania,” Supreme
Court Justice Sallie Mundy
said. “Through these public
forums, we’re giving an
opportunity for residents to
meet the Court in the parts
of the state where they
call home, rather than just
watching argument on tv or
reading about a case in the
news.
“By giving people,
especially children and
13
Pa. Courts Language Access Plan – 5 Year Status Report
It has been five years since the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania approved
a statewide Language Access Plan for the Pa. Courts.
The purpose of the plan is to provide a framework for the provision of
meaningful language access for those individuals who are Limited English
Proficient, deaf or hard of hearing and come into contact with the courts.
In October, the Monitoring and Evaluation Team, chaired by York County
Judge Joseph C. Adams and tasked with reviewing and evaluating the
implementation of the plan, released a five-year update report on the
status of language access in our state.
To date, the Pa. Courts have accomplished the majority of the action
items set forth in the plan, including the development and dissemination
of “I-Speak” cards, Right to Interpreter posters, a judicial bench card for
working with interpreters and a multilingual Notice of Language Rights.
Moving forward, the Pa. Courts will continue to train court staff, judges
and attorneys on language access and to engage in outreach efforts to
educate and recruit more candidates to become interpreter certified.
If you or someone you know is bilingual in English and another language,
please check out the Interpreter Certification Program web page for more
information on how to become certified!
Stop the Bleed
On Sept. 22, AOPC/Judicial District
Security partnered with Penn State
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
personnel to deliver ‘STOP the Bleed’
training to over 28 employees at the
Pennsylvania Judicial Center.
‘Stop the Bleed’ training is a national
initiative supported by the American
College of Surgeons Committee on
Trauma and provides participants with
the knowledge, skills and abilities to
save a life in a bleeding emergency.
The Administrative Office of
Pennsylvania Courts was excited to
host this important educational event
at the Pennsylvania Judicial Center
since uncontrolled bleeding is the
primary cause of death in trauma-
related injuries.
Deputy Court Administrator Andrea
Tuominen said, “I am delighted to
have so many employees trained
in the skills necessary for a bleeding
emergency and thank Judicial District
Security for organizing this training.
While we hope these skills will never be
needed at work or in the community, it
is reassuring to know that many of our
employees are now certified in the event
of a bleeding emergency might occur.”
14
more information
Information on Stop the Bleed training
is available at www.stopthebleed.org
or by contacting AOPC/Judicial District
Security at 717.231.3366.
15
Being a Strong Leader:
Tips on Making Decisions,
Coaching Employees and
Communicating Effectively
Excerpt reprinted with permission from BHS Focus 2022
As a leader, you wear many hats. In addition to overseeing others, you are also likely to be in charge of making
important decisions, coaching employees through situations and communicating with team members about
important matters. To better develop effective leadership skills that will help you be successful in each of these
areas, follow the guidelines below.
As someone who makes decisions, you should:
• Think things through. Don’t decide too hastily, and make sure to consider alternatives. Employees can be a
great resource. Ask them for input regarding decisions when appropriate.
• Take risks, but know the consequences before you jump.
• Admit when you make a mistake, and use it as a learning tool. Share with others the lessons that you have
been taught.
As a coach who guides employees, you should:
• Envision the goals that you and your team can accomplish. Seek and share the goals with your team,
motivating them to get there.
• Show each member of the team that you are interested in his or her success. Notice unique skills and
talents, and work with each member to develop them.
• Help resolve differences between team members. You can act as a mediator between two employees who
don’t see eye-to-eye. When doing this, make sure you are fair and supportive to each employee.
• Be enthusiastic and honest to each employee. This will inspire them to be the same way.
• Give the employee your full attention when he or she is speaking to you. Don’t be quick to criticize or judge,
As a communicator, you should:
hear the person out, and think before you speak.
• Check if employees understand goals.
• Give feedback to employees. This can be constructive criticism, but make sure you present it in an
encouraging and supportive way. Be specific when an employee needs to make a change.
• Be calm when stressful situations arise. Be the voice of reason when things are tough.
• When communicating praise or criticism, use “I” statements to demonstrate how you feel. For example, “I
was impressed by your latest presentation to our clients,” or, “I was hurt by what you said to co-workers about
the team leaders.”
16
Judicial Task Force releases final report on
state courts' response to mental illness
Continued collaboration between the courts, government
agencies, mental health providers and others is critical to
affect the systemic change needed to improve how courts
respond to individuals with serious mental illness.
That was the message echoed during Tuesday’s release
of the final report from the National Judicial Task Force
to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness. The
virtual event drew about 900 participants, including court
officials, behavioral health professionals, and members of
the news media.
“We see how the justice system can become a never-
ending highway of pain as it maneuvers people on a
needless journey, with no off ramp, often to ineffective
support and treatment,” said task force member Circuit
Judge Nan Waller of Multnomah County, Oregon.
“However, having had the privilege to serve on the task
force has given me great optimism. The task force operated
in a manner consistent with its recommendations, bringing
together stakeholders from the behavioral health and
justice systems, along with the important voices of those
with lived experience, and then providing expert staff to
help turn our thoughts and ideas into tools, bench cards,
policy briefs, and research.”
Judge Waller joined task force co-chairs Chief Justice Paul
L. Reiber of Vermont and New York Chief Administrative
Judge Lawrence K. Marks to offer insights on ways the task
force recommendations can positively impact individuals
with severe mental illness during Tuesday’s virtual launch
and policy discussion.
Two national mental health experts - Miriam E. Delphin-
Rittmon, Ph.D., the U.S. Health and Human Services
Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use
and leader of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson,
Interim Chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral
Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine – elaborated
on ways the behavioral health community can partner with
the courts to improve outcomes for individuals with serious
mental illness.
“We know that our country is facing a mental health crisis,”
Dr. Delphin-Rittmon said. “… I am confident that these
recommendations and examples of successful programs
have the potential to make really meaningful impacts in
communities across the country.”
Among the task force recommendations, state courts
should:
• Convene justice and behavioral health system partners
to identify opportunities to collaboratively improve
responses to individuals with behavioral health disorders.
• Promote processes to identify and divert individuals with
behavioral health disorders at every stage of system
involvement towards treatment and away from further
penetration into the criminal justice system.
• Examine current case management and calendaring
practices and implement strategies to more quickly and
effectively address issues presented in cases involving
individuals with behavioral health needs.
Watch the recording of the webinar and download a copy
of the final report and recommendations.
For additional information about the task force or future
plans to implement these recommendations, contact Patti
Tobias at ptobias@ncsc.org.
Reprinted with permission from the National Center for State Courts newsletter – @ the Center.
17
2022 Holiday
Gatherings
PJC
Ritter Road
18
Around the Judiciary
Chief Justice Debra Todd (pictured with
Pennsylvania Bar Association leadership) spoke
at the Fayette County Bench Bar Conference in
October.
Judge William Tully presiding over Dauphin County Veterans
Court Graduation on Nov. 4.
Allegheny County District Judges recognized Breast
Cancer Awareness Month at the end of October by
wearing pink.
19
A ceremony for the portrait unveiling of Chief Justice
Emeritus Thomas G. Saylor was held at the end of
November.
Pa. Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty provided
a tour of the Harrisburg Supreme Court courtroom to an
Adult Autism Support Group in late November.
Pictured are the treatment court therapy dogs in Chester,
Clinton, Cumberland and Delaware Counties. Chester
County's dog, Stormy, is seen on the far left with her
handler, Judge Ann Marie Wheatcraft, president
of the Pennsylvania Association of Treatment Court
Professionals.
On Dec. 1, the AOPC held a course for employees at
the PJC covering fundamental knowledge about the
Pennsylvania’s court system. Chief Justice Debra Todd
opened the session and welcomed attendees. During
the presentation, David Price, deputy chief counsel at
AOPC and Geoff Weyl, AOPC legal counsel, provided an
engaging overview of the state court system and AOPC.
20
The Pa. Superior Court held a special session at the Northampton
County Courthouse on Dec. 13 and 14. Northampton County President
Judge Michael Koury provided welcoming remarks from the bench,
before Superior Court President Judge Jack Panella presided over
the session, with Judges Anne Lazarus and Megan Sullivan serving
on the panel. After hearing arguments in 45 cases, the Superior Court
panel met with students from Lafayette College to discuss the appellate
court system and answer questions.
Very active in their community, Bradford County's Treatment Court
participants made their own float for the annual Christmas parade to
spread some holiday cheer.
Justice Kevin Dougherty swears in new law clerks in the First
Judicial District.
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Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky
Jr. awarded the Presenza Award to
Assistant District Attorney Assigned to
Treatment Court, Jim McMonagle. In
recognition of former Philadelphia Municipal
Court Judge Presenza’s commitment to
the field of problem-solving courts, the
Pennsylvania Association of Treatment
Court Professionals’ Distinguished Service
Award was established in his name.
PJC donations
On Dec. 6, law students from across Italy visited the Pa.
Superior Court in Philadelphia. President Judge Jack Panella
talked about the American state and federal court systems.
Ritter Road donations
Have a photo or story idea?
We are always looking for story ideas or photos of staff and
judges out and about in the community. Send us an email
with the scoop! CommunicationsOffice@pacourts.us.
This holiday season, the AOPC held a donation
drive to benefit the Neighborhood Center in
Harrisburg, collecting donations at both the PJC
and Ritter Road offices. Items donated included
cleaning supplies, baby wipes, paper products
and breakfast and snack food.
Miss an issue?
Check out our newsletter archive!
http://www.pacourts.us/judicial-administration/office-of-
communications-and-intergovernmental-relations/aopconnected
22
