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Teresa Sarmina
M. Teresa Sarmina was a judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. Sarmina was first elected to the court in 1997 and was retained in 2007. She was retained in the general election on November 7, 2017. She stepped down from the bench in 2019.[1]
Biography
Sarmina earned her undergraduate degree from St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and her J.D. from Georgetown University.[2] She also holds a master's degree from the University of Chicago.[3]
Below is a summary of Sarmina's professional experience:[4]
- 1995-1997: Senior deputy attorney, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Public Protection Division
- 1993-1995: Senior deputy attorney, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
- 1989-1993: Deputy attorney, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General- Region IX Drug Strike Force
- 1984-1989: Assistant district attorney, Philadelphia County
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.[5] [6]
| Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, Teresa Sarmina Retention, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes votes | |
 Teresa Sarmina | 77.65% | |
| 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.[7][8] 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.[7][9]
- 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.[7][10]
Qualifications
To serve on an appellate or general jurisdiction court, a judge must:[7]
- 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.[10]
2009
Sarmina ran for one of four open seats on the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 2009. Because the seat that she ran for was not vacated in time for her to participate in the primary elections, Sarmina was placed directly on the ballot by the state Democratic Party.[11]
| 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% |
See also
- Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- Courts in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania local trial court judicial elections, 2017
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Law.com, "Phila. Judge Teresa Sarmina to Leave Bench, Joining List of Recent Departures," August 9, 2019
- ↑ Martindale, "Judge Profile: M. Teresa Sarmina," accessed July 25, 2013
- ↑ Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners, "The Honorable M. Teresa Sarmina," accessed July 25, 2013
- ↑ Pennsylvania Bar, "Personal Data Questionaire," accessed July 25, 2013
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2017 Election Calendar," accessed February 23, 2017
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Retention Listing," accessed September 12, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Pennsylvania," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ The Morning Call, "Ban Cross-filing As One Step," January 24, 1985
- ↑ The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, "In Re: Nomination Papers of Marakay Rogers, Christina Valente and Carl J. Romanelli," November 7, 2006
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Pennsylvania Code, "Chapter 7. Assignment of Judges," accessed September 3, 2014
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2009 Municipal Election, Judge of the Superior Court results"
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