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Cheryl Lynn Allen
Cheryl Lynn Allen was a judge on the Pennsylvania Superior Court. In November 2007 she was elected to a 10-year term on the court.[1] She was the first black woman to be elected to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.[2] She retired from the bench on September 4, 2015.[3]
Allen ran for election to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015 but was defeated in the Republican primary on May 19, 2015.[4][5]
Education
Allen graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1969 with her bachelor's degree and received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1975.[1]
Career
- 2008-2015: Judge, Pennsylvania Superior Court
- 1990-2008: Judge, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
- 1977-1990: Staff attorney, Allegheny County Law Department
- 1977-1990: Attorney in private practice
- 1976-1977: Staff attorney, Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
- 1975-1976: Staff attorney, Neighborhood Legal Services
Prior to starting her legal career, Allen was an elementary school teach for Pittsburgh public schools.[1]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2015: Geneva College Serving Leader Award[6]
- 2008: Women of the Year from the Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly
- 2008: Women of Excellence Award, New Pittsburgh's Courier's
- 2008: Camp Fire USA Incredible Kid Day Breakfast of Champions
- 2008: Celebrate & Share Woman of Achievement Honor Award
- 2006: Three Rivers Youth Nellie Leadership Award
- 2006: Greater Pittsburgh YWCA, Tribute to Women Award
- 2005: Pennsylvania Commission for Women, Woman's History Month Award
- 2004: Juvenile Court Judges Commission Award
- 2004: Allegheny County Bar Association, Juvenile Justice Award
- 2004: CASA Volunteer Recognition Award
- 2004: Second Chance Inc., Women of Standard Award
- 2002: University of Pittsburgh, Women's Law Association, Woman of the Year
- 1999: University of Pittsburgh, Alumni of the Year[1]
Associations
- Appointed member, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Juvenile Court Judges Commission
- Founding member, Women Without Walls (WWW)
- Former board member, Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation
- Juvenile Court Judges Commission
- Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation, Board Member
- Cornerstone Television, Board Member
- Hosanna House, Board Member
- Waynesburg University, Trustee
- National Regional Church CARE, Advisory Board Member[1]
Elections
2015
- See also: Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2015
Pennsylvania's judicial elections included a primary on May 19, 2015, and a general election on November 3, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates was March 11, 2015.
| Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Three seats, Republican Primary, 2015 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Judith Olson |
22.1% | 177,199 |
| Michael A. George |
21.7% | 173,683 |
| Anne Covey |
20.2% | 161,680 |
| Cheryl Lynn Allen | 13.9% | 111,112 |
| Rebecca L. Warren | 11.7% | 93,688 |
| Correale Stevens Incumbent | 10.5% | 83,815 |
| Write-in votes | 0% | 0 |
| Total Votes | 801,177 | |
| Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, "2015 Municipal Primary Unofficial Results," May 19, 2015 | ||
Recommendation
Allen was highly recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association, who said she was "an intelligent and independent jurist who prepares clearly-written, well-reasoned and fair opinions."[7]
Endorsements
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Firearm Owners Against Crime[8]
- Pennsylvania Pro-life Federation
- LifePAC[9]
- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- U.S. Congressman Glenn "GT" Thompson (R)[10]
Race background
Three open seats were up for election on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015. Going into the primary, there were 12 candidates running for the court. One open seat was the result of the retirement of Chief Justice Ronald Castille in December 2014. The other two seats were made vacant by resignations. In May 2013, Justice Joan Orie Melvin resigned after her conviction for campaign corruption. The second resignation occurred in October 2014, when Justice Seamus P. McCaffery left the court due to both his implication in an FBI investigation involving the exchange of referral fees between his wife and several law firms, and his involvement in a scandal wherein sexually explicit emails were forwarded from his personal email account to court employees.
Justice Correale Stevens was appointed to the bench by Governor Tom Corbett (R) in June 2013 to replace Joan Orie Melvin. He ran unsuccessfully in 2015 to keep his seat on the court.[11]
Campaign finances in the primary
May reporting period
The candidates for the May 19 primary had $2,127,498.74 in cash on hand as of the last pre-primary reporting period. Michael A. George (R) had the most cash on hand at $497,325.16, while Rebecca L. Warren (R) had the lowest total at $2,574.97. The biggest contribution during this reporting period was $50,000 from Ronald Caplan, president of PMC Property Group, to Democratic candidate Kevin M. Dougherty.
| Pre-primary campaign finance, May 2015[12] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Cash on hand ($) | Highest contribution ($) | Contributor(s) |
| Michael A. George |  Republican |
497,325.16 | 5,000 | Friends of Rich Alloway |
| David N. Wecht |  Democratic |
450,877.64 | 20,000 | Fairness PA |
| Kevin M. Dougherty | Democratic |
422,421.91 | 50,000 | Ronald Caplan, President, PMC Property Group |
| Anne Lazarus | Democratic |
224,663.64 | 5,000 | Fairness PA, Alan Ominsky |
| Anne Covey | Republican |
149,229.72 | 25,000 | Anthony & Catherine Misitano |
| John H. Foradora | Democratic |
137,130.66 | 10,000 | Monica Mitchell |
| Judith Olson | Republican |
111,688.92 | 25,000 | PA Future Fund |
| Christine Donohue | Democratic |
53,299.01 | 10,000 | Carpenters PAC of Philadelphia & Vicinity |
| Dwayne D. Woodruff | Democratic |
42,129.39 | 5,000 | Franco Harris, Former player, Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club |
| Correale Stevens | Republican |
18,777.49 | 20,000 | Alan H. Potamkin |
| Cheryl Lynn Allen | Republican |
17,380.23 | 10,000 | Fairness PA |
| Rebecca L. Warren | Republican |
2,574.97 | 500 | John Kasha |
April reporting period
Three candidates reported campaign receipts exceeding $500,000 in finance reports filed on April 7. Kevin M. Dougherty (D) took the cash-on-hand lead with $584,666.22 in the bank, followed by David N. Wecht (D) at $546,220.24 and Michael A. George (R) at $508,459.63. Eight of the nine remaining primary candidates totaled approximately $898,000 on hand by early April, with Rebecca L. Warren (R) having a negative cash balance. The fundraising advantage through March rested with Democratic candidates, who totaled $1.94 million on hand compared to $595,000 for Republican candidates.[13]
| Pre-primary campaign finance, April 2015[14] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Party | Cash on hand ($) | Highest contribution ($) | Contributor(s) |
| Kevin M. Dougherty | Democratic |
584,666.22 | 100,000 | Local Union #98 I.B.E.W. Committee On Political Education |
| David N. Wecht | Democratic |
546,220.24 | 25,000 | Daniel Berger, Attorney |
| Michael A. George | Republican |
508,459.63 | 500,000 | Gary Lowenthal, Founder, Boyds Bears |
| John H. Foradora | Democratic |
391,074.05 | 100,000 | John H. Foradora |
| Anne Lazarus | Democratic |
262,093.08 | 75,000 | Anne Lazarus |
| Christine Donohue | Democratic |
184,727.00 | 5,000 | Commonwealth Heritage PAC, I.B.E.W. Local 5, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel and 13 individual donors |
| Anne Covey | Republican |
56,540.38 | 25,000 | PA Future Fund |
| Correale Stevens | Republican |
44,101.58 | 5,000 | Pennsylvania Society of Physicians Assistants, Gillespie, Miscavige, Ferdinand & Baranko LLC and four individual donors |
| Dwayne D. Woodruff | Democratic |
29,514.80 | 5,000 | Arthur J. Rooney II, President, Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club |
| Cheryl Lynn Allen | Republican |
17,135.00 | 10,000 | Eldora Ellison, Retired |
| Judith Olson | Republican |
842.06 | 1,000 | Carl G. Grefenstette, Director, Hillman Foundation |
| Rebecca L. Warren | Republican |
-2,668.35 | 5,000 | Rebecca L. Warren |
April 8 candidate forum
A candidate forum at the Free Library of Philadelphia on April 8 showcased candidate concerns over the influence of money in judicial elections. Five candidates participated in the forum: Anne Lazarus (D), John H. Foradora (D), David N. Wecht (D), Dwayne D. Woodruff (D) and Cheryl Lynn Allen (R). All of the candidates at the forum argued that more campaign cash presented issues for judicial races, though none believed that eliminating elections would be the right solution. Foradora argued that campaign cash potentially damages the court's integrity, while Woodruff suggested that higher finance requirements presented a barrier to entry for qualified candidates. Allen advocated for nonpartisan elections as a counterweight to increasing partisanship on the court.[15]
Failed nominations
In February 2015, Governor Tom Wolf (D) nominated both Ken Gormley, a law professor for the Duquesne University School of Law, and Judge Thomas Kistler of the Centre County Court of Common Pleas. However, after a Christmas email sent by Kistler and a halt to confirm Gormley, Wolf said he planned no further nominations to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.[16]
Kistler asked that his nomination be withdrawn after a report surfaced of a racially insensitive e-greeting sent out by Kistler to friends in 2013. The e-greeting depicted a black couple, with the male wearing prison garb behind a glass window and his female visitor speaking to him via a jailhouse phone. The caption attached to the e-greeting said, "Merry Christmas from the Johnsons," and Kistler sent the greeting with a subject heading of "Best Christmas card ever."[17]
Gormley's nomination came under scrutiny when reports of harassment complaints filed in 2006 against Gormley were circulated among the Senate Judiciary Committee. An internal Duquesne University report, which had been cited in a lawsuit filed against Gormley, recommended that Gormley not supervise women because he had shared "an unsubstantiated rumor" regarding a female professor. The suit was later settled by the female professor and the university.[17]
2009
Allen ran for an open seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2009. She was defeated in the three-way Republican primary. Joan Orie Melvin was then elected to the court.[18]
| Candidate | Incumbent | Party | Primary % | Election % |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joan Orie Melvin  |
No | Republican | 54.7% | 53.1% | |
| Jack Panella | No | Democratic | 46.8% | ||
| Cheryl Lynn Allen | No | Republican | 27.3% | ||
| Paul P. Panepinto | No | Republican | 17.9% |
Faith and politics
Allen, who serves as a church elder, was outspoken about her religious faith on the campaign trail. During an April 12 campaign stop in Lancaster, Allen said of the United States: "We were founded as a Christian nation, and founded on truth. If we don't stand on that, we fall into deception, and eventually destruction."[19]
Allen said that when a person stands on the truth, there is no reason to stutter, as so many politicians do: "What we need for our country is not divided by red and blue, but is based on the one and only truth, the Bible," she said.[19]
On switching parties
Allen switched from the Democratic to Republican Party in the 2000s. In 2009, Allen said that the secularism of the Democratic Party caused the switch.[20]
Campaign themes
2015
| “ |
The greatest impediment to justice in our courts is politics. There’s no place for politics on the Supreme Court. If you give me the honor, I’ll serve as I have for the last 25 years — with bold courage and unwavering commitment to Constitutional justice for all. [21] |
” |
| —Judge Allen for Supreme Court (2015)[22] | ||
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Allen is married. She has three children and seven grandchildren.[2]
See also
External links
- Judge Cheryl Allen for Supreme Court
- The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, "Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen"
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, "2009 Candidate Questionnaire: Cheryl Lynn Allen"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, "Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Judge Cheryl Allen, "Biography," accessed April 27, 2015
- ↑ This information was provided to Ballotpedia in email from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedelection2015 - ↑ TribLive.com, "Judges with Pittsburgh ties enter race for Pa. Supreme Court," November 24, 2014
- ↑ Read Media, "Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen to receive the 2015 Geneva College Serving Leader Award, April 15, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluation Commission Releases 2015 Judicial Ratings," accessed March 11, 2015
- ↑ Firearm Owners Against Crime, "FOAC endorses Judge Cheryl Allen in the upcoming November Supreme Court election," February 6, 2015
- ↑ Judge Cheryl Allen, "Endorsement," March 22, 2015
- ↑ Judge Allen for Supreme Court, "Campaign website," accessed August 21, 2015
- ↑ TribLive.com, "Much at stake as 16 vie for historic 3 vacancies on Pa. Supreme Court," January 11, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Campaign Finance Online Reporting," accessed May 18, 2015
- ↑ TribLive, "3 candidates for Pennsylvania Supreme Court have more than $500k on hand for primary election," April 7, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Campaign Finance Online Reporting," accessed April 22, 2015
- ↑ Philly.com, "5 running for Pa.'s top court agree: Judicial races cost too much," April 8, 2015
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Senate GOP may not fill 2 vacancies on Pennsylvania’s high court," February 24, 2015
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Philly.com, "Two Supreme Court nominees under fire," February 22, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Justice of the Supreme Court Primary Election Results," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 LancasterOnline.com, "What nation needs is based on Bible," April 12, 2009
- ↑ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "GOP Primary a Three Way Race," May 2, 2009
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Judge Allen for Supreme Court, "Home," accessed April 26, 2015
Federal courts:
Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania
State courts:
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts
State resources:
Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania
