Judith Olson
2010 - Present
2030
15
Judith Olson (Republican Party) is a judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court. She assumed office on January 4, 2010. Her current term ends on January 7, 2030.
Olson ran for re-election for judge of the Pennsylvania Superior Court. She won in the retention election on November 5, 2019.
She was elected to a 10-year term on November 3, 2009, effective January 2010.[1][2]
Olson ran for election to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015.[3] She won the Republican primary but was defeated in the general election.
Biography
Education
Olson received her undergraduate degree from Saint Francis University in 1979 and her J.D. from the Duquesne University School of Law in 1982.[2] She graduated second in her law school class. Olson and her husband, Joe, have two children.[4][5]
Career
- 2010-2020: Judge, Pennsylvania Superior Court
- 2008-2009: Judge, Court of Common Pleas for Allegheny County
- 2000-2008: Partner, Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP
- 1990-2000: Attorney/founder, Sweeney Metz Fox Mcgrann & Schermer L.L.C.
- 1984-1998: Partner, Dickie, Mccamey & Chilcote, P.C.
- 1982-1984: Law clerk, Honorable Maurice B. Cohill, Jr.[4][6][2]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2011: North Hills School District Distinguished Alumni Award
- 2008: Earl G. Harrison Community Service Award
- 2005: Allegheny County Bar Foundation – Inducted as Fellow
- 2004: Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County – Inducted as Fellow
- 2004-2008: Named by Law & Politics Magazine as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer® in Business Litigation
- 2004: Named by Law & Politics Magazine as one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in Pennsylvania
- 2004: Graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh –Class XX
- 1999: American Heart Association Volunteer of the Year Award
- 1999: Community Champion Award
- “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell[4]
Associations
- 2007-2008: Member of board of governors
- 2007-2008: Chair of Federal Court Committee
- 2008: Member of ad hoc committee on Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Commercial Court Rules
- St. Francis University, Loretto, Pennsylvania, member of board of trustees
- American Heart Association—National Organization
- American Heart Association—Great Rivers Affiliate
- American Heart Association—Allegheny Division
- Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, past member of Diocesan Pastoral Council
- Saints John & Paul Catholic Church
- Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
- Operation Good Neighbor Foundation, past member of board of advisors
- Career Literacy for African American Youths (CLAAY)[4]
Elections
2019
See also: Pennsylvania intermediate appellate court elections, 2019
General election
General election for Pennsylvania Superior Court
Incumbent Judith Olson won election in the general election for Pennsylvania Superior Court on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | ![]() | Judith Olson (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 1,461,332 |
Total votes: 1,461,332 | ||||
![]() | ||||
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. |
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, General Election, 2015 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
Democratic | ![]() |
18.5% | 1,079,835 | |
Democratic | ![]() |
18.4% | 1,070,568 | |
Democratic | ![]() |
18.2% | 1,059,167 | |
Republican | Judith Olson | 15.2% | 887,409 | |
Republican | Michael A. George | 13.6% | 796,124 | |
Republican | Anne Covey | 13.6% | 795,330 | |
Independent Judicial Alliance | Paul P. Panepinto | 2.5% | 144,403 | |
Write-in votes | 0% | 0 | ||
Total Votes | 5,832,836 | |||
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, "Unofficial General Election Results," November 3, 2015 |
Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Three seats, Republican Primary, 2015 | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
![]() |
22.1% | 177,199 |
![]() |
21.7% | 173,683 |
![]() |
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
The Pennsylvania Bar Association highly recommended Olson during its second round of ratings, calling her a "keen legal thinker and the author of well-reasoned and well-written opinions."[7]
Endorsements
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Pro-Life
- Firearm Owners Against Crime
- Pennsylvania State Troopers Association
- Action of PA
- Fraternal Order of Police, Pennsylvania State Lodge
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette[8]
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.[9]
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 $50,000 from Ronald Caplan, president of PMC Property Group, to Democratic candidate Kevin M. Dougherty.
Pre-primary campaign finance, May 2015[10] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Party | Cash on hand ($) | Highest contribution ($) | Contributor(s) |
Michael A. George | ![]() |
497,325.16 | 5,000 | Friends of Rich Alloway |
David N. Wecht | ![]() |
450,877.64 | 20,000 | Fairness PA |
Kevin M. Dougherty | ![]() |
422,421.91 | 50,000 | Ronald Caplan, President, PMC Property Group |
Anne Lazarus | ![]() |
224,663.64 | 5,000 | Fairness PA, Alan Ominsky |
Anne Covey | ![]() |
149,229.72 | 25,000 | Anthony & Catherine Misitano |
John H. Foradora | ![]() |
137,130.66 | 10,000 | Monica Mitchell |
Judith Olson | ![]() |
111,688.92 | 25,000 | PA Future Fund |
Christine Donohue | ![]() |
53,299.01 | 10,000 | Carpenters PAC of Philadelphia & Vicinity |
Dwayne D. Woodruff | ![]() |
42,129.39 | 5,000 | Franco Harris, Former player, Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club |
Correale Stevens | ![]() |
18,777.49 | 20,000 | Alan H. Potamkin |
Cheryl Lynn Allen | ![]() |
17,380.23 | 10,000 | Fairness PA |
Rebecca L. Warren | ![]() |
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 $595,000 for Republican candidates.[11]
Pre-primary campaign finance, April 2015[12] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Party | Cash on hand ($) | Highest contribution ($) | Contributor(s) |
Kevin M. Dougherty | ![]() |
584,666.22 | 100,000 | Local Union #98 I.B.E.W. Committee On Political Education |
David N. Wecht | ![]() |
546,220.24 | 25,000 | Daniel Berger, Attorney |
Michael A. George | ![]() |
508,459.63 | 500,000 | Gary Lowenthal, Founder, Boyds Bears |
John H. Foradora | ![]() |
391,074.05 | 100,000 | John H. Foradora |
Anne Lazarus | ![]() |
262,093.08 | 75,000 | Anne Lazarus |
Christine Donohue | ![]() |
184,727.00 | 5,000 | Commonwealth Heritage PAC, I.B.E.W. Local 5, Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel and 13 individual donors |
Anne Covey | ![]() |
56,540.38 | 25,000 | PA Future Fund |
Correale Stevens | ![]() |
44,101.58 | 5,000 | Pennsylvania Society of Physicians Assistants, Gillespie, Miscavige, Ferdinand & Baranko LLC and four individual donors |
Dwayne D. Woodruff | ![]() |
29,514.80 | 5,000 | Arthur J. Rooney II, President, Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club |
Cheryl Lynn Allen | ![]() |
17,135.00 | 10,000 | Eldora Ellison, Retired |
Judith Olson | ![]() |
842.06 | 1,000 | Carl G. Grefenstette, Director, Hillman Foundation |
Rebecca L. Warren | ![]() |
-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.[13]
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.[14]
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."[15]
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.[15]
2009
Olson was elected to one of four open seats on the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 2009. She said that one of her goals is to reclaim the public's trust in the judiciary: "A very critical issue is the lack of confidence that the public has in the court system. Everybody in the legal system, from the bar or the bench, has an obligation to try and regain that public trust."[6][16]
Candidate | Incumbent | Party | Primary % | Election % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Judith Olson ![]() |
No | Republican | 37.1% | 15% | |
Sallie Mundy ![]() |
No | Republican | 33.5% | 13.7% | |
Paula Ott ![]() |
No | Republican | 12.7% | ||
Anne Lazarus ![]() |
No | Democratic | 11.4% | ||
Robert Colville | No | Democratic | 11.4% | ||
Templeton Smith | No | Republican | 29.3% | 11.4% | |
Kevin McCarthy | No | Democratic | 11.2% | ||
Teresa Sarmina | No | Democratic | 10.9% | ||
Marakay Rogers | No | Libertarian | 2% |
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Judith Olson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.
2015
“ |
My judicial philosophy is rooted in the notion that we must adhere to the necessity of preserving the separation of powers of the three branches and to acknowledge the important role each must play in government. The judicial branch is charged with interpreting the laws enacted by the legislature. It is the job of a judge to review matters of law and not to act as a “superlegislature,” by imposing “judge-made” law in place of democratically elected officials. To do otherwise is to create a threat to the values of stability and predictability. Judicial restraint is the only judicial philosophy that preserves those values – values which are paramount to the proper maintenance of a majoritarian system such as our own. I also believe that all parties are equal in the eyes of the law and must be treated fairly and impartially. Every litigant is entitled to his or her day in court and must be treated with respect. In fact, the touchstone of my philosophy is respect. It is paramount that a judge respect the law, the legal system, the lawyers and the litigants. [17] |
” |
—Olson's campaign website (2015)[18] |
Judicial philosophy
“ | My judicial philosophy is rooted in the notion that we must adhere to the necessity of preserving the separation of powers of the three branches and to acknowledge the important role each must play in government. The judicial branch is charged with interpreting the laws enacted by the legislature. It is the job of a judge to review matters of law and not to act as a “superlegislature,” by imposing “judge-made” law in place of democratically elected officials. To do otherwise is to create a threat to the values of stability and predictability. Judicial restraint is the only judicial philosophy that preserves those values – values which are paramount to the proper maintenance of a majoritarian system such as our own.
I also believe that all parties are equal in the eyes of the law and must be treated fairly and impartially. Every litigant is entitled to his or her day in court and must be treated with respect. In fact, the touchstone of my philosophy is respect. It is paramount that a judge respect the law, the legal system, the lawyers and the litigants.[17] |
” |
—Judge Judy Olson[19] |
See also
2019 Elections
External links
Officeholder Pennsylvania Superior Court |
Footnotes
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2009 Pennsylvania Municipal Election Returns"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, "Biography of Judge Olson"
- ↑ Trib Live News, "Judicial candidate vows to restore faith in system," February 6, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Elect Judge Judy for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, "About Judge Judy," accessed April 27, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania GOP, "Superior Court Judge Judy Olson Talks To The Beaver Countian About Justice In Pennsylvania," March 30, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Standard Speaker, "Court candidate: System must regain public trust," October 20, 2009
- ↑ Pennsylvania Bar Association, "Judicial Evaluation Commission Releases Second Round of 2015 Judicial Ratings," February 10, 2015
- ↑ Elect Judge Judy for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, "Endorsements," accessed April 27, 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
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Philly.com, "Two Supreme Court nominees under fire," February 22, 2015
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2009 Municipal Election, Judge of the Superior Court results"
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Judge Judy Olson for Supreme Court, "Judicial Philosophy," accessed April 26, 2015
- ↑ Elect Judge Judy for Pennsylvania Supreme Court, "Judicial Philosophy," accessed April 27, 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