Judge Mary Jane Bowes
Judge Mary Jane Bowes was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University in 1976. Upon graduation, she was selected for the James Fulton Internship with Congressman H. John Heinz III. While attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Judge Bowes participated in legal internships with the District […]
President Judge Emeritus John T. Bender
Judge Bender received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Journalism at the Pennsylvania State University was awarded a J.D. degree from Duquesne University Law School. Judge Bender served as a law clerk to President Judge Emeritus William F. Cercone while attending law school. He later was employed as a law clerk to […]
PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS
PUBLICATIONS This page includes links to books, articles, other publications and video presentations written by or about Judges of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Books about the Superior Court Keystone of Justice – a book published in 2002 detailing the history of the Pennsylvania Superior Court from 1895 through 2001 – written by the Hon. Patrick […]
Structure of the Pennsylvania Judiciary – The Unified Judicial System
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania HISTORY Established by the Judiciary Act of May 22, 1722, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the oldest appellate court in the nation, predating the United States Supreme Court by 67 years. It is the highest court of the Commonwealth and the repository of the supreme judicial power of the state. […]
Our History
In 1895, the Pennsylvania General Assembly established the Superior Court to hear appeals from certain decisions of the courts of common pleas of the Commonwealth. From time to time the Legislature has expanded the Court’s jurisdiction, and today it decides appeals touching almost every aspect of life and commerce in the State, including family law […]
President Judge Emeritus Jack A. Panella
Jack Anthony Panella (born May 4, 1955) is the President Judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. He assumed office on the Superior Court on January 9, 2004. Prior to his election to the Superior Court, he was a Judge on the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County, where he served from October 25, 1991, to […]
John G. Brosky
Judge Brosky was born on August 4, 1920, in Scott Township, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to serve in the military for four years during World War II as an artillery officer in the South Pacific. Afterwards, he attended the University of Pittsburgh Law School and […]
Richard B. Wickersham
Judge Richard Brewster Wickersham was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 4, 1929.He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in 1950 and his law degree from Dickinson School of Law in 1953. Following graduation, Judge Wickersham served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Generals’ Corps until 1956. He received the Good Conduct Medal and […]
James R. Cavanaugh
Judge Cavanaugh was born in Philadelphia on August 26, 1931. He graduated from St. Joseph’s College in 1953 and the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1956. Judge Cavanaugh was a practicing attorney in Philadelphia for twelve years before being elected to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in 1968. Judge Cavanaugh was appointed […]
Donald E. Wieand
Judge Donald E. Wieand was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on September 18, 1926. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II. Judge Wieand graduated from Villanova University in 1948, then later as first in his class at Dickinson Law School. In 1951, Judge Wieand was admitted to the Lehigh County Bar and […]