Chester County Magisterial District, Pennsylvania
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Magisterial District
The Chester County Magisterial District Courts are a series of 19 trial courts of magisterial districts in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Judges
- John Bailey, District Court 15-4-03, Exton
- John Hipple, District Court 15-3-01, Coventry/Pottstown
- Lori Novak Donatelli, District Court 15-2-07, Lionville
- Nancy A. Gill, District Court 15-3-07, Parkesburg
- Gregory V. Hines, District Court 15-1-03, Coatesville
- Grover E. Koon, District Court 15-1-05, Valley Twp
- William D. Kraut, District Court 15-2-03, West Goshen
- Al Iacocca, District Court 15-3-04, Kennett Square
- Scott Massey, District Court 15-3-05, Oxford
- Matthew Seavey, District Court 15-4-04, Avondale
- Analisa Sondergaard, District Court 15-4-01, Chesterbrook
- Thomas W. Tartaglio, District Court 15-1-02, Devon
- Jeffrey J. Valocchi, District Court 15-4-02, Thorndale
- Marian Thayer Vito, District Court 15-1-04, West Chester/East End[1]
Former judges
- Rita A. Arnold
- Mark A. Bruno
- Michael J. Cabry III
- Chester F. Darlington
- James V. DeAngelo
- Gwenn S. Knapp
- Daniel J. Maisano
- Theodore P. Michaels, Jr.
See also
External links
- Directory of Chester County Magisterial District Judges
- PhoenixvillePatch.com, "Judicial Plan Eliminates One Chesco Magistrate, Reorganizes Others," February 3, 2012
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
Elections
- See also: Pennsylvania judicial elections
Pennsylvania is one of 43 states that hold elections for judicial positions. To learn more about judicial selection in Pennsylvania, click here.
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2025
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2024
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2023
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2022
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2021
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2020
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2019
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2018
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2017
- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2015
- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2013
- Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2011
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
Judges of the Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts are selected in partisan elections. They serve six-year terms. After their initial term, magistrates must run for new terms in contested races.[2][3]
Qualifications
A judge must be:
- a local resident for at least one year;[3]
- a state bar member;*
- no younger than 21; and
- no older than 75.
*Magisterial district judges may alternatively pass a training course to sidestep the bar member requirement.[3]
Election rules
Primary election
Though the state holds partisan elections, most candidates cross-file with the major political parties. If a candidate wins both the Republican and Democratic primary, he or she runs unopposed in the general election.
Retention election
All judges except those of the magisterial districts face retention elections following their initial term. After a judge has won an initial partisan election, subsequent terms are attained through retention elections. In retention elections, judges do not compete against another candidate, but voters are given a "yes" or "no" choice whether to keep the justice in office for another term. If the candidate receives more yes votes than no votes, he or she is successfully retained. If not, the candidate is not retained, and there will be a vacancy in that court upon the expiration of that term. This applies to all judges except magisterial district judges, who are always elected in partisan elections.[4][5]
Footnotes
- ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, "Magisterial District Judge List," accessed June 29, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Courts, "How Judges Are Elected," accessed July 22, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Pennsylvania; Limited Jurisdiction Courts," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania Courts, "How Judges Are Elected," accessed July 22, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania General Assembly, "Constitution of Pennsylvania, Article V, Section 15," accessed April 30, 2014
