My hope is that over the course of the next two months, this list may change drastically. I wanted to do a first draft to see how having more information changes my vote.
Whom I leaned toward in choosing a Judge:
1. Someone with a criminal defense background. 67 of the 90 judges in Common Pleas Court deal with criminal law. Also, the consequences being more dire than matters of money or arguably, custody, I want judges who know criminal matters well. I lean toward defenders rather than prosecutors as I think which law one chooses to practice may reflect one’s world view. I want judges who are more focused on making sure the trial is fair than making sure punishment is served. This bias may well change.
2. Someone for the people. My religious tradition teaches that to judge fairly, one must not be partial to the poor nor give preference to the rich. I hold that to be important, but I want judges who can acknowledge how the system is stacked against the poor, and who dream of a justice system that could be restorative and rehabilitative rather than punitive.
3. Have a website. This is 2015. Not having a website is basically not being in the race.
There are 12 Common Pleas seats open. Here are my picks in no particular order.
1. Daine Grey
Grey has over 15 years of defense experience, as well as medical malpractice defense. He volunteers with city youth.
2. Josh Hill
Hill has criminal defense and medical malpractice defense experience, and clerked for a Common Pleas Judge. He volunteers his services to The Support Center for Child Advocates.
3. Chris Mallios
Highly recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association, Mallios is an extremely impressive candidate. Mallios has worked for the District Attorney (specializing in rape, child abuse, hate crimes, and domestic violence) as well as been court-appointed defense, and has taught at local universities and institutions and given trainings abroad.
4. Mia Roberts-Perez
Perez, whose website is in English and Spanish, has her own practice in criminal and family law, and teaches at Temple.
5. Kai Scott
Scott (on the left) has been a public defender for Philadelphia and at the federal level, where she has served as chief of the trial unit. She volunteers coaching high school mock trial teams.
6. Wayne Bennett
Famous for his blog, Field Negro, Bennett is an extremely radical candidate. I’m not sure what kind of law he practices, though he has been a family court judge.
7. James Berardinelli
Berardinelli has been on both sides of homicide and special victims cases, first for 17 years as a prosecutor, and now as defense.
8. Abbe Fletman
Judge Fletman’s background is in complex commercial disputes such as intellectual property matters. She seems to be very active with the Bar Association, which highly recommended her, and as a volunteer of pro bono legal services.
9. Vince Melchiorre
Judge Melchiorre has heard felony waiver cases in the Southwest zone since January, and has been competent and fair. His prior practice concentrated on personal injury, commercial, and real estate legislation. He volunteers as a karate instructor.
10. Zac Shaffer
Honorably, Shaffer refuses to take campaign contributions in order to remain impartial to the utmost degree. He seems to rest not on his laurels of experience so much as a platform of ideas and beliefs–ones that I can get behind. His website is very snazzy.
11. Stella Tsai
There’s something about Tsai that’s extremely likeable. She has done products liability litigation, civil RICO and securities fraud matters, prepared decisions and presided over hearings for the City of Philadelphia Civil Service Commission, represented insurance companies in disputes with corporate policyholders over coverage for environmental and bodily injury claims, and counseled business organizations on corporate ethics and governance matters.
12. Betsy Wahl
Wahl is a Master in Juvenile Delinquency Court, mediating family matters, and advocating for juvenile justice. She has also taught criminal law at Temple and Cabrini.
Philly Judges 