Court of Common Pleas

Job Description: The Courts of Common Pleas are Pennsylvania's courts of general trial jurisdiction. They have existed since the colonial charter of Pennsylvania, and are incorporated in the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776. The Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County presently consists of ninety judges who are currently assigned as follows: Trial Division, 67; Family Court Division, 20; and Orphans' Court Division, 3. The Court of Common Pleas is supervised by a President Judge who is elected for a five year term by the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas.

Minimum Requirements: Prior to the November election, candidates must be:
1. A resident of their district for at least one year
2. A member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Bar at the time of filing his or her nomination petition for office.

Court of Common Pleas Website

The Committee of Seventy does not endorse candidates. However, in furtherance of our commitment to provide as much information as possible we will provide information on recommendations from credible sources. To learn more about the Philadelphia Bar Association's candidate ratings visit www.philadelphiabar.org.

You can see copies of the candidate's nomination petitions by searching the Department of State's Candidate Database.

Official Candidates for the May 21 Primary Election

Philadelphia County - Six Vacancies

All candidates are running as democrats unless indicated that they are cross-filing and will be on both the democratic and republican ballot

Frank Bennett

Job:Attorney, Bennett and Associates, LLC
Hometown:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website:http://bennettforjudge.info/bio.htm
Education: B.A. Holy Family College, J.D. The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Giovanni Campbell PROJECTED WINNER (DEMOCRATIC)

Job: Attorney, Giovanni O. Campbell Attorney at Law P.C.
Hometown: Panama
Website:http://giovannicampbell4judge.com/?page_id=507
Education: B.A. SUNY Stony Brook, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Deborah D. Cianfrani

Job: Attorney
Hometown: N/A
Website: N/A
Education: Cornell College
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Derrick W. Coker

Job: Attorney
Hometown: N/A
Website: N/A
Education: N/A
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Conor Corcoran

Job: Attorney
Hometown: N/A
Website: http://www.conorforjudge.com/
Education: B.A Vassar College, J.D. Temple Law School
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Anne Marie Coyle (Cross-filing) PROJECTED WINNER (DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN TICKETS)

Job: Attorney
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website:N/A
Education: B.A. La Salle University, J.D. Villanova University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

James C. Crumlish Jr.

Job: Attorney, Elliot Greenleaf
Hometown: N/A
Website: N/A
Education: B.A. St. Joseph’s College, J.D. Widener University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Joe Fernandes PROJECTED WINNER (DEMOCRATIC)

Job: N/A
Hometown: N/A
Website: N/A
Education: B.S. La Salle University, J.D. Widener Law School
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Vince Giusini

Job: Attorney
Hometown: N/A
Website: http://www.vinceforjudge.com
Education: N/A
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Daine A. Grey Jr.

Job: Attorney
Hometown: Plainfield, New Jersey
Website:http://www.friendsforgrey.com/
Education: B.A. Drew University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Leon A. King II

Job: Attorney
Hometown: Massachusetts
Website: http://www.leonaking.org/
Education: B.A. University of Massachusetts, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Timika Lane PROJECTED WINNER (DEMOCRATIC)

Job: Chief Legal Counsel to State Senator and Democratic Whip Anthony H. Williams
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website: http://timikalane.org/
Education: B.A. Howard University, J.D. Rutgers-Camden School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Rania Major

Job: Attorney
Hometown: N/A
Website: http://major4judge.nationbuilder.com/
Education: N/A
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Jon Marshall

Job: N/A
Hometown: N/A
Website: N/A
Education: N/A
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Daniel D. McCaffery PROJECTED WINNER (DEMOCRATIC)

Job: Attorney, Friedman Schuman
Hometown: N/A
Website: N/A
Education: B.A. Temple University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

John J. O’Connor Jr.

Job: Attorney
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Website: http://johnoconnorforjudge.com
Education: LaSalle University, J.D. Widener University School of Law
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Kenneth J. Powell Jr. (Cross-filing) PROJECTED WINNER (REPUBLICAN)

Job: Former Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website: N/A
Education: B.A. LaSalle University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Tracy B. Roman

Job: Attorney, Law Offices of Tracy Brandeis-Roman
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Website:http://www.tracyromanforjudge.com/
Education: B.A. Temple University, J.D. Widener School of Law
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Stephanie M. Sawyer

Job: Attorney, Law Offices of Stephanie M. Sawyer
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website: http://www.friendsofstephaniemsawyer.com/
Education: B.A. Temple University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Sean P. Stevens
Job: Attorney
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website: http://stevens-for-judge.com/
Education: B.A. Temple University, M.B.A. Temple University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Sierra Thomas Street PROJECTED WINNER (DEMOCRATIC)

Job: Executive Assistant to the Director, Friends Rehabilitation Program Inc.
Hometown: Long Island, New York
Website: http://votesierrastreet.com/
Education: Howard University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Dawn M. Tancredi

Job: Attorney, Mattioni, Ltd.
Hometown: N/A
Website:https://www.facebook.com/DawnTancrediForJudge
Education: B.A. Saint Joseph’s University, J.D. Temple University School of Law
"Not Recommended" by the Philadelphia Bar Association

Chester County - Two Vacancies

All Chester County Candidates are crossfiling - They will be on both the democratic and republican ballots

Patrick Carmody- R

Job: Attorney, Chester County District Attorney’s Office
Hometown: N/A
Website:http://www.carmodyforjudge.com/main/goals.aspx
Education: B.A. Penn State University, J.D. George Washington School of Law
Rated “Qualified” by the Chester County Bar Association

Jeff Sommer- R

Job: Partner, Buckley LLP
Hometown: N/A
Website:https://www.facebook.com/Sommerforjudge
Education: B.A, Lehigh University, J.D. Widener School of Law
Rated “Qualified” by the Chester County Bar Association

Julia Malloy-Good- D

Job: Special Master for Complex Support, Chester County Court of Common Pleas
Hometown: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Website:http://www.julia4judge.com/
Education: B.A. Wheaton College, J.D. The John Marshall Law School
Rated “Qualified” by the Chester County Bar Association

Anthony Verwey- D

Job: Partner at Unruh, Turner, Burke, & Frees
Hometown: N/A
Website: http://www.verweyforjudge.com/
Education: B.S. Penn State University, J.D. Widener University

Delaware County - Two Vacancies

All Delaware County candidates are cross-filing - they will be on both the democratic and republican ballots

Richard Cappelli- R

Job: Magisterial District Judge
Hometown: N/A
Website:http://www.electcappelli.com/
Education: B.S. St. Francis University of Pennsylvania, J.D. Widener University School of Law

William “Chip” Mackrides- R

Job: Solicitor to Delaware County District Attorney, Attorney at Mackrides Associates
Hometown: N/A
Website: http://www.facebook.com/MackridesForJudge
Education: B.S. Villanova University, J.D. Loyola University of Law

Steve Chanenson- D

Job: Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Professor of Law at Villanova University School of Law
Hometown: N/A
Website:http://chanensonforjudge.org/
Education:B.A. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Wharton School, J.D. University of Chicago Law School

Nancy A. Walker- D

Job:Attorney and Owner, Walker Law Offices, PC
Hometown: N/A
Website:http://www.walkerforjudge.org/
Education: N/A

Montgomery County - Two Vacancies

All montgomery county candidates are cross-filing - they will be on both the democratic and republican ballots

Sharon Giamporcaro- R

Job: Chief of Juvenile Division and Deputy District Attorney, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office
Hometown: Lower Merion, Pennsylvania
Website:http://sharonforjudge.com/
Education: B.S. University of Pennsylvania, J.D. Villanova University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Montgomery County Bar Association Judiciary Committee

Maureen Coggins- R

Job:Attorney, Law Offices of Maureen Coggins
Hometown: Upper Hanover, Pennsylvania
Website:http://www.cogginsforjudge.com /
Education:Franklin & Marshall College, J.D. Widener University School of Law
"Highly Recommended" by the Montgomery County Bar Association Judiciary Committee

Steven Tolliver- D

Job: Litigation Counsel at Aetna Life Insurance
Hometown: Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania
Website:http://tolliverforjudge.com/
Education: B.A. Oberlin College, J.D. Villanova University Garey School of Law
"Recommended" by the Montgomery County Bar Association Judiciary Committee

Gail Weilheimer- D

Job:Attorney, Wisler Pearlstine, LLP
Hometown:Abington Township, Pennsylvania
Website:http://gailweilheimer4judge.com/
Education:B.A. Hofstra University, J.D. Hofstra University School of Law
"Recommended" by the Montgomery County Bar Association Judiciary Committee