What You Need to Know about Pennsylvania's Courts and Judicial Candidates
Judges make important decisions every day that affect your life.
The Pennsylvania Bar Association has created PAVoteSmart to help you better understand the functions of the commonwealth’s judges and courts.
In addition, for registered voters, PAVoteSmart serves as an information source about judicial candidates when electing new judges and during balloting for merit-retention of appellate court judges.
PAVoteSmart is wholly nonpartisan, and a candidate’s listing does not constitute an endorsement of any candidate by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
The PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission (JEC) evaluates qualifications of candidates to appellate courts in Pennsylvania. Individuals who are considering filing as judicial candidates for an open seat in the May 2025 primary election should complete and return a JEC questionnaire by Dec. 13, 2024.
To receive materials, contact the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission, staff liaison, Melisa Spinelli at Melisa.Spinelli@pabar.org; 800-932-0311, ext. 2253.