| Court Name: | Superior Court of Pennsylvania |
| Jurisdiction: | Pennsylvania, United States except those cases which involve decisions of governmental agencies; public sector legal questions; actions to which the Commonwealth is a party other than criminal cases; or actions to which a not-for-profit, private corporation is a party, all of which are appealed instead to the Commonwealth Court. |
| Location: | Harrisburg (headquarters) Philadelphia Pittsburgh |
| Type: | Statewide partisan election with possible retention at term expiration. Vacancies are filled via appointment by the Governor. |
| Authority: | Penn. Const. Art. V § 3 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 541-44 |
| Appealsto: | Supreme Court of Pennsylvania |
| Appealsfrom: | Court of Common Pleas |
| Terms: | 10 years |
| Positions: | 15 |
| Website: | Pennsylvania Courts |
| Chiefjudgetitle: | President Judge |
| Chiefjudgename: | Anne Lazarus |
| Termstart: | January 7, 2024[1] |
The Superior Court of Pennsylvania is one of two Pennsylvania intermediate appellate courts (the other being the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania). It is based in Harrisburg.
The Superior Court hears appeals in criminal and most civil cases from the Courts of Common Pleas and on matters involving children and families.[2] Most appeals are decided on the submission of briefs only. However, when the parties request oral argument, those sessions are usually heard by panels of three judges sitting in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, or Pittsburgh, but the court also hears some appeals "en banc," i.e., with nine judges. Sometimes, special argument panels sit in other counties around the Commonwealth. Although different panels of three judges may sit to hear appeals, there is only one Superior Court (that is, Pennsylvania is not divided into appellate territories).
Superior Court judges are elected in statewide elections. The term of a Superior Court Judge is 10 years. After serving 10 years, judges may hold their seats if they win a retention vote. Voters have the right to retain or reject (vote out of office) Superior Court judges in Pennsylvania. Superior Court judges must retire from active service at the age of 75. They may serve as Senior Judges though, as approved by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
| Judge[3] | Born | Joined[4] | Term ends | Mandatory retirement | Party affiliation | Law school | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne E. Lazarus (President Judge) | 12 November 1952 | 2029 | 2027 | Democratic | Temple | ||
| 18 July 1954 | 2031 | 2029 | Republican | Pittsburgh | |||
| 4 May 1955 | 2033 | 2030 | Democratic | Columbus | |||
| 19 October 1957 | 2029 | 2032 | Republican | Duquesne | |||
| 14 September 1957 | 2033 | 2032 | Republican | Dickinson | |||
| 25 March 1959 | 2025 | 2034 | Democratic | Pennsylvania | |||
| 24 September 1967 | 2027 | 2042 | Democratic | Notre Dame | |||
| 4 September 1955 | 2027 | 2030 | Democratic | Temple | |||
| Mary P. Murray | 6 July 1970 | 2027 | 2045 | Republican | Duquesne | ||
| 27 May 1966 | 2027 | 2041 | Democratic | Widener | |||
| Megan McCarthy King | 8 December 1969 | 2029 | 2044 | Republican | Pittsburgh | ||
| 19 October 1971 | 2031 | 2046 | Republican | Temple | |||
| 16 October 1979 | 2033 | 2054 | Democratic | Duquesne | |||
| 5 October 1972 | 2033 | 2047 | Democratic | Rutgers | |||
| Vacant |
| Judge | Born | Joined | Party affiliation | Law school | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , President Judge Emeritus | 6 October 1946 | Republican | Dickinson | |||
| 9 June 1946 | Democratic | Villanova | ||||
| 6 November 1948 | Republican | Duquesne |