Somerset County, Pennsylvania (Judicial)
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The people of Somerset County are served by a Court of Common Pleas, and a Magisterial Court that handles small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic cases and minor criminal matters. The people of Pennsylvania are also served by a Superior Court and a Commonwealth Court.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania has jurisdiction in Somerset County. Appeals from the Western District go to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
Courts
Court of Common Pleas
Somerset County Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania
- Scott P. Bittner
- John M. Cascio - President Judge
- D. Gregory Geary [1]
Senior judges
Former judges
Magisterial Court
Somerset County Magisterial District, Pennsylvania
Elections
- See also: Pennsylvania judicial elections
Pennsylvania is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Pennsylvania, click here.
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2015
- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2013
- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2011
Election rules
Primary election
Though the state holds partisan elections, most candidates cross-file with the major political parties. If a candidate wins both the Republican and Democratic primary, he or she runs unopposed in the general election.
Retention election
All judges except those of the magisterial districts face retention elections following their initial term. After a judge has won an initial partisan election, subsequent terms are attained through retention elections. In retention elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a "yes" or "no" choice whether to keep the justice in office for another term. If the candidate receives more yes votes than no votes, he or she is successfully retained. If not, the candidate is not retained, and there will be a vacancy in that court upon the expiration of that term. This applies to all judges except magisterial district judges, who are always elected in partisan elections.[3][4]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Pennsylvania Courts, "Common Pleas Judges"
- ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, Magisterial District Judge List
- ↑ Pennsylvania Courts, "How Judges Are Elected," accessed July 22, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly, "Constitution of Pennsylvania, Article V, Section 15," accessed April 30, 2014
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