Allegheny County Bar Association’s Judiciary Ratings For Candidates Running in May 19th Primary

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – April 2, 2009. The Allegheny County Bar Association today announced that its Judiciary Committee has released its ratings for the following individuals running for a judgeship in the primary election on May 19th and who have requested a rating, have been interviewed by the Judiciary Committee, and who reside in Allegheny County or have an office in Allegheny County. These individuals are seeking a seat on the bench of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, the PA Commonwealth Court, Pennsylvania Supreme Court or the Pennsylvania Superior Court. The bar association will continue to rate candidates through mid April. According to the bylaws of the Judiciary Committee, the Committee must rate all candidates running for the Court of Common Pleas, whether they have requested an interview and rating or not.

In the 2009 Pennsylvania Primary Elections, voters will be selecting candidates for the following judicial positions: One (1) PA Supreme Court Justice; three (3) judges on the PA Superior Court; two (2) judge for the PA Commonwealth Court; and five (5) judges on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

According to Jay Blechman, President of the Allegheny County Bar Association, “The bar association has the obligation to the citizens of Allegheny County to provide as much information as possible to help voters make informed choices when they select candidates for judicial office.”

The Committee has given the following ratings:

Name

Court

Rating

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Hon. Joan Orie Melvin	Supreme Court of PA	Highly Recommended

Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Kevin F. McCarthy	Superior Court of PA	Highly Recommended
Hon. Robert J. Colville	Superior Court of PA	Highly Recommended
Templeton Smith, Jr.	Superior Court of PA	Highly Recommended

Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Daniel K. Bricmont	Commonwealth	Highly Recommended
Michael D. Sherman	Commonwealth	Highly Recommended
Alfonso Frioni, Jr.	Commonwealth	Recommended
Linda S. Judson	Commonwealth	Not Recommended at this time
Barbara Behrend Ernsberger	Commonwealth	Unqualified

NOTE: Candidates running for judgeships for statewide courts are required to go before the Judicial Evaluation Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association to be interviewed and rated. For the PBA ratings, go to pavotesmart.com.

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas

Alexander P. Bicket	Court of Common Pleas	Highly Recommended
Philip A. Ignelzi	Court of Common Pleas	Highly Recommended
Hugh F. McGough	Court of Common Pleas	Highly Recommended
Hon. Joseph K. Williams, III	Court of Common Pleas	Highly Recommended

Hon. Susan Evashavik DiLucente	Court of Common Pleas	Recommended
Arnold I. Klein	Court of Common Pleas	Recommended
Michael F. Marmo	Court of Common Pleas	Recommended
Michael S. Sherman	Court of Common Pleas	Recommended
Leahtines Williams-Duncan	Court of Common Pleas	Recommended

Hon. Carolyn Saldari Bengel	Court of Common Pleas	Not Recommended at this time
Jeffrey K. Eisenberg	Court of Common Pleas	Not Recommended at this time
Donald Walko	Court of Common Pleas	Not Recommended at this time
Michelle Zappala Peck	Court of Common Pleas	Not Recommended at this time

Each candidate is evaluated in the areas of temperament, experience in the field of law, academic achievement, honesty and integrity, reputation, general community interest and contributions to the profession.

The 24-member Judiciary Committee is elected at large by the 6,500-member Bar Association.

Explanation of Ratings:

Highly Recommended
The candidate:

Exhibits pre-eminence in the law by way of outstanding legal ability and a wide range of experience, either in a specialized field of law or a more varied practice, and has a reputation in the legal community as standing at the top of his or her profession.
Possesses the highest reputation for integrity and temperament.
Exhibits outstanding citizenship by way of community and professional contributions.
Is an exceptional individual who will enhance or has enhanced the competence, dignity and public perception of the bench.

Recommended

The candidate possesses the highest reputation for integrity and the legal ability, experience and temperament to excel as a judge of the court for which he or she is a candidate.

Not recommended at this time

The candidate’s legal ability, experience and reputation indicate that, at some future time in his or her legal career, he or she may have the potential to excel as a judge, but the candidate is not yet at that stage.

Unqualified

The candidate does not now possess and is not likely to acquire the ability, reputation, or temperament necessary for a judicial position.

Contacts:
Nancy L. Heilman, Esquire
412-297-4900

Tom Loftus
Allegheny County Bar Association
412-402-6620

Chartered in 1870 and headquartered in downtown Pittsburgh, The Allegheny County Bar Association is a professional organization with more than 6,600 member attorneys, judges, district justices, legal administrators, and paralegals.

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