By Tom Waring

Times Staff Writer

Judge Joan Orie Melvin has been touting her experience, innovation and reforms as she seeks a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Orie Melvin, 53, is a former Allegheny County Municipal and Common Pleas Court judge who was elected to Superior Court in 1997.

During her tenure on Municipal Court, she served as chief magistrate and created the state's first domestic violence court.

"It was a very, very successful court with extremely low recidivism rates," she said.

Orie Melvin, a Republican and married mother of six, is trying to distinguish herself from Democratic opponent Jack Panella, a fellow Superior Court judge whose campaign did not respond to an interview request.

Panella, 54, served in private practice from 1982-91, and his clients included former heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes.

In 1991, he was elected to Northampton County Common Pleas Court and served until being elected to Superior Court in 2003. He was unopposed in the primary for Supreme Court.

Panella has a money advantage on Orie Melvin, thanks to large contributions from trial lawyers and labor unions. He is backed by the state AFL-CIO and Building and Construction Trades Council, AFSCME District Council 47, American Federation of Teachers, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 and the state chapter of the National Organization for Women.

As a Democrat, Panella enjoys a large voter registration advantage. Both candidates have been rated Highly Recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

The seat was vacated by the January 2008 retirement of Chief Justice Ralph Cappy. The winner will give his or her party a 4-3 advantage on the court.

Orie Melvin has support from the state Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, Pennsylvania Conference of Teachers and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Republican believes her support for victims and community safety earned the backing of the law enforcement groups.

"My record speaks loud and clear," she said.

This is her second bid for Supreme Court. She lost a 2003 race against Democrat Max Baer by about 92,000 votes. The difference was in Philadelphia, where Baer prevailed by almost 218,000 votes.

That year, there was heavy turnout in Philadelphia for the mayoral race. Next week, there will likely be a low voter turnout, since the races for district attorney and city controller don't seem to have captured much of the public's interest.

Orie Melvin, who graduated from Duquesne University School of Law in 1981, describes herself as a strict constructionist who interprets the law and does not create it.

"I will apply the law and Constitution as stated," she said.

Orie Melvin has been telling voters that she does not use tax dollars for out-of-state conferences and reminds them that she refused to accept the infamous 2005 judicial and legislative pay raise and cost-of-living adjustment.

"I've paid the pay raise back and returned the COLA to the treasury every year since 2005," she said. "I've been very mindful of being a steward of taxpayer dollars."

Orie Melvin, who won a three-way primary in May, has spoken to voters in all 67 counties since beginning her campaign in January.

"The people are hungry and demanding reform in the judiciary," she said.

The candidates debated last week at Temple University's Beasley School of Law. The event will be rebroadcast on Pennsylvania Cable Network on Sunday at 3 p.m. and Monday at 4 p.m.

Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com