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Cathleen Cawood Bubash

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Cathleen Cawood Bubash

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Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
Tenure
Present officeholder
Term ends

2027

Education

Bachelor's

Pennsylvania State University

Law

Duquesne University

Cathleen Cawood Bubash is a judge on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania.[1] Bubash was appointed to the court in 2007. Later that year, she was elected to a 10 year term.[2] She was retained in the general election on November 7, 2017.

Biography

Bubash earned her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from Duquesne University.[3]

Below is a summary of Bubash's professional experience:

  • 2000-2007: Magisterial justice[2]
  • 1989-2000: Private attorney[2]
  • 1989-1996: Public defender[2]
  • 1986: Admitted to the Pennsylvania bar[2]

Elections

2017

See also: Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2017

Pennsylvania held local judicial elections on November 7, 2017. The filing deadline for judges running for retention was September 8, 2017. For the Courts of Common Pleas, after a judge has won an initial partisan election, subsequent terms are attained through retention elections.[4] [5]

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Cathleen Cawood Bubash Retention, 2016
Name Yes votes
Green check mark transparent.pngCathleen Cawood Bubash70.19%
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, "2017 Election Unofficial Returns," accessed November 8, 2017

Selection method

See also: Partisan election of judges

The 439 judges of the court of common pleas are elected to 10-year terms in partisan elections. Candidates may cross-file with both political parties for the partisan primaries, which are followed by general elections where the primary winners from each party compete.[6][7] Judges must run in yes-no retention elections if they wish to continue serving after their first term. A separate part of the ballot is designated for these elections, and judges' names appear without respect to party affiliation.[6][8]

  • The president judge of each Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas is chosen by either peer vote or seniority, depending on the size of the court. Statewide, all courts composed of more than seven individuals must select their chief judge by peer vote. Those with seven or fewer members select their chief by seniority.[6][9]

Qualifications
To serve on an appellate or general jurisdiction court, a judge must:[6]

  • have state residence for at least one year;
  • be a district resident for at least one year (for common pleas judges);
  • be a member of the state bar; and
  • be under the age of 75.

While retirement at 75 is mandatory, judges may apply for senior judge status. Senior judges may serve as such until the last day of the calendar year in which they turn 78.[9]

See also

External links

Footnotes