12 candidates file for Pa. Supreme Court seats

HARRISBURG - Twelve candidates met the filing deadline Tuesday for a spot on the primary ballot to fill one of three open seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Six Republicans and six Democrats, including five candidates from the Philadelphia area, filed nominating petitions with the Department of State for a place on the May ballot. All but one currently sit on the bench.

"Looking at the 12, there is gender diversity, geographic diversity, party diversity, and some race diversity," said Lynn Marks, executive director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a statewide court reform group.

The candidates are Kevin M. Dougherty and Anne E. Lazarus of Philadelphia; David Wecht, Cheryl Allen, Judith F. Olson, Dwayne D. Woodruff, and Christine Donohue of Allegheny County; Anne Covey of Bucks County; John Henry Foradora of Jefferson County; Michael George of Adams County; and Rebecca Lee Warren of Montour County.

One sitting justice, Correale Stevens of Montgomery County, also must seek election. Stevens was appointed in 2013 by Gov. Tom Corbett to complete the term of Joan Orie Melvin after her conviction on corruption charges.

Two additional vacancies were created by the retirements of Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille and Justice Seamus McCaffrey.

Three candidates submitted timely petitions to run for one open seat on Superior Court. They are Alice B. Dubow of Philadelphia; Robert John Colville of Beaver County; and Emil Giordano of Northampton County.

Candidates for one open seat on Commonwealth Court are Todd Richardson Eagan of Lackawanna County, and Michael H. Wojcik and Paul N. Lalley of Allegheny County.