The next Election Day is coming up on November 7. This is your chance to have a final say in who determines our rights and interprets our laws for the next judicial term. State courts hold enormous power!
Justices on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania interpret our laws and define our rights. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has the final say on the constitutionality of laws advanced by the Pennsylvania state Legislature.
Anti-abortion lawmakers in the Pennsylvania Legislature have repeatedly introduced legislation intended to force their personal views into your family’s private decisions, including a six-week abortion ban. Though this bill will likely not advance this session, it is important to know their wish list and ensure you vote for judicial candidates that will uphold the promise of our state constitution.
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (aka “SCOPA”) plays a deciding role in reproductive rights, abortion access, and medical privacy. The Court also decides critical issues like LGBTQ+ equality and criminal justice reform.
As a state-based public interest legal organization, WLP attorneys most often litigate in state court. In fact, we have a big reproductive autonomy rights case before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania right now. In this case, we argued that Pennsylvania’s ban on Medicaid coverage of abortion is unconstitutional under the Pennsylvania Constitution and asked the Court to explicitly affirm our reproductive autonomy rights are protected by the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Justices on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania hold the promise of democracy & reproductive freedom
Our state judges hold the promise of democracy: The Constitution of Pennsylvania has been called the most democratic constitution in the country and is broader than the U.S. Constitution. Pennsylvania was also the first state to formally implement an Equal Rights Amendment:
“Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the sex of the individual.”
The top two layers in the Pennsylvania Courts triangle represent appellate courts. Appellate court elections are statewide elections. There are several open judicial seats in our appellate courts this election:
- One open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- One open seat on Commonwealth Court
- Two open seats on Superior Court
How to find information about judicial candidates
The nonpartisan Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission rates all appellate court candidates on a simple scale of Highly Recommended, Recommended, and Not Recommended. Check their 2023 ratings and recommendations here.
In addition to statewide judicial elections, there may also be judges running for a seat on your local courts.
Here are links to some county bar associations:
- Philadelphia Bar Association recommendations
- Allegheny County Bar Association recommendations
- Montgomery County Bar Association recommendations
If you live in another county, please visit your county bar association’s website for information about judicial candidates running in your county.
For more information, check out the state’s website and voting guides from WHYY, SpotlightPA, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
