Oct. 31, 2025

President's Message By Amy Coco

ACBA members, as elections approach, I strongly encourage you to vote YES to retain all judges on the ballot, and to encourage your friends, families and colleagues to also vote YES.

This November, Allegheny County voters will see several judges on the ballot, not in contested races, but in judicial retention elections. Judges from the Supreme Court, the Commonwealth Court, and the Court of Common Pleas are up for retention, a process that allows voters to decide whether each judge should continue serving in their current term. These elections are not about party affiliation or political campaigns; they are a direct measure of a judge’s performance, fairness, and professionalism.

Unlike partisan elections, retention elections are designed to preserve judicial independence. Judges do not face opponents, are not listed with party labels, and are evaluated solely on their record. After serving an initial 10-year term, as required by the Pennsylvania Constitution (Article V, §§ 13 & 15), appellate and Common Pleas judges must stand for a retention vote. Voters select YES or NO.

To help the public make informed decisions, the Allegheny County Bar Association surveys attorneys who regularly appear before these judges. This year, the ACBA membership overwhelmingly recommended all ten judges on the retention ballot:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania: Hon. Christine Donohue, Hon. David Wecht

• Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania: Hon. Michael H. Wojcik

• Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas: Hon. Edward J. Borkowski, Hon. Alan D. Hertzberg, Hon. Beth A. Lazzara, Hon. Jennifer Staley McCrady, Hon. Hugh F. McGough, Hon. Dan Regan, and Hon. Dwayne D. Woodruff

The ACBA Judicial Retention Program is a long-standing, nonpartisan public education initiative designed to help voters make informed decisions in these retention elections. Each election cycle, the ACBA solicits evaluations from practicing attorneys who have experience before the judges, focusing on criteria such as integrity, legal ability, temperament, and impartiality. The resulting recommendations are published for public use. Its mission is to promote awareness of the judicial retention process and support a fair and independent judiciary.

In addition to providing judicial candidate ratings and retention election candidate ratings, the ACBA through its Judicial Excellence Committee (PAC) also runs a nonpartisan “umbrella campaign” for Court of Common Pleas judges who choose to opt in. Any Court of Common Pleas judge (or, in some cases, an Allegheny County–based judge on a higher Pennsylvania court) seeking retention may participate if they’ve received a “recommended” rating from ACBA membership. Those who opt in contribute to the campaign, and the Judicial Excellence Committee raises funds and publicizes the retention ratings to the public via paid advertising and outreach. This year’s participating judges include Hon. Alan D. Hertzberg, Hon. Beth A. Lazzara, Hon. Jennifer Staley McCrady, Hon. Hugh F. McGough, Hon. Dan Regan, and Hon. Dwayne D. Woodruff.

As judicial retention elections draw increasing attention, even from out of state sources not familiar with our local judges, and especially when controversial issues reach the courts, members of the local legal community play a key role in helping voters understand their importance. Judicial retention elections may not receive the same level of attention as contested races, but they matter profoundly. A YES vote preserves continuity and experience on the bench. 

Because these elections lack the drama of contested campaigns, voter response tends to be low, but that makes each vote even more significant. Again, please vote and encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to cast their ballots and vote YES to retain these judges that the ACBA members overwhelmingly recommended.  These elections empower the public to retain experienced judges who have demonstrated integrity, while also holding the judiciary accountable, without compromising its independence.