Judiciary Committee
Instructions for submitting a candidate questionnaire
The By-laws of the Allegheny County Bar Association require the Judiciary Committee to interview and evaluate all candidates who are running for, or who are seeking an appointment to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. Candidates from Allegheny County who are seeking appointment to, or plan to run for Pa. Appellate Court positions may request to be interviewed and evaluated by the Committee. Candidates from Allegheny County who are seeking appointment to the United States Federal Court positions may request to be interviewed and evaluated by the Committee.
Judiciary Committee ratings are valid for a period of five (5) years, but a candidate may request to be re-evaluated by the Committee 24 months after receiving his/her initial rating.
- If you are an attorney who would like to be evaluated by the Allegheny County Bar Association Judiciary Committee, please download the following document: "Candidate Questionnaire for an Attorney"
- If you are a sitting judge who would like to be evaluated by the Allegheny County Bar Association Judiciary Committee, please download the following document: "Candidate Questionnaire for a sitting Judge"
- All candidates who are running for the following judicial offices: Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, or Supreme Court of Pennsylvania must sign and submit a copy of the "ACBA Candidate Pledge Form" with his/her completed Candidate Questionnaire. Click here to download a copy of the "Pledge Form."
- All candidates who are submitting a Candidate Questionnaire must include a writing sample.
- All candidates are required to submit 28 copies of the following documents in order for their application to be complete.
- Completed Candidate Questionnaire
- A writing sample
- Signed Pledge Form
- For an explanation of the ACBA Judiciary Committee Ratings, click here.
Completed Candidate Questionnaires, writing samples, and signed pledge forms should be bound and delivered to David A. Blaner, Executive Director, ACBA 400 Koppers Building, 436 Seventh Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 2, 2010.
All questions regarding the application and interview process should be directed to David A. Blaner, ACBA Executive Director at 412-402-6601 or by e-mail at dblaner@acba.org.
This Committee shall recommend and support for judicial office of the various Courts those judges and members of the bar who by their character, temperament, professional aptitude, and experience have demonstrated special qualifications to hold judicial office. It shall also seek members of the bar who are qualified to hold judicial office and encourage them to accept judicial appointment or to run for election to such office. It is the only Committee authorized to consider the qualifications of persons who seek judicial office, to conduct polls, referenda, or surveys concerning candidates seeking judicial office or judges holding judicial office, and to become engaged in the collection of information or conduct studies relating to the conduct of judicial officers or the conduct of the Courts, both civil and criminal, and in general, the conduct of those judicial systems subject to its jurisdiction, both state and federal.
ACBA Liaison: David A. Blaner, 412-402-6601