Bellefonte is home of the state’s 49th judicial dis-trict, and like many small towns throughout the state,it’s normally tranquil. Nestled in the rolling hills of cen-tral Pennsylvania, it has a handful of traffic lights andlittle or no congestion on its streets and sidewalks.

“Only an occasional case would bring modestattention to what was going on within the courthouse,and only the annual antique car show and street fairwould disrupt downtown traffic for days,” said CentreCounty President Judge TThhoommaass KKiinngg KKiissttlleerr.

That all changed, however, when a series ofunprecedented events unfolded over the last year that,at times, made life for Bellefonte citizens, merchantsand court staff anything but normal.

These events began with the November 2011arrest of former Penn State football defensive coachJerry Sandusky, resulting in a December preliminaryhearing, June trial and October sentencing. Eachevent drew hundreds of reporters from around the

Issue 1, 2013

NNEEWWSSLLEETTTTEERR OOFF TTHHEE AADDMMIINNIISSTTRRAATTIIVVEE OOFFFFIICCEE OOFF PPEENNNNSSYYLLVVAANNIIAA CCOOUURRTTSS

Inside

bbyy SStteevvee SScchheellll

(Sandusky continued on page 8)

4 OCFC ReportsOnline

5 New JudiciaryWebsite

7 Blair CountyCuts DUI CaseBacklog

11 AOPC StaffersCertified

12 Court InfoOfficersStrategize

14 Women in theJudiciary

bbyy SStteevvee SScchheellllAs part of its ongoing commitment to

open records, the Supreme Court ofPennsylvania has expanded its fiscal dis-closure policy — Rule of Judicial Admin-istration 509 — to include the onlineposting of expenditure and personnelcompensation information for easy publicaccess.

An area was established on the pub-lic records page of the Unified JudicialSystem website in 2009 to provide fiscalsummaries of contracts and purchaseorders of $5,000 or more. Expandedfinancial information now is available on

the site that includes searchable informa-tion for the Supreme, Superior and Com-monwealth courts, the AdministrativeOffice of Pennsylvania Courts, the Judi-cial Conduct Board and the Court ofJudicial Discipline.

The new site contains:

• a description of each appropriationand annual funding amounts

• the name and address of any entityreceiving payment, along with theamount and fiscal year of the pay-ment

(Transparency continued on page 14)

Coordination and Cooperation Were Key

Small Court Copes with Big Case and National Spotlight

Some of the myriad of equipment used by themedia during the course of the trial.

Financial Documents Now Online

Supreme Court Boosts Transparency,Accountability

2

NNeeww ttoo tthhee JJuuddiicciiaall BBrraanncchhCCoouunnttiieessSSaarraahh BBaallssiinnggeerr - Cambria - assistant court administratorPPaauull EE.. CCoozzzzaa - Allegheny - Common Pleas Court judgeMMiicchhaaeell WW.. FFllaannnneellllyy - York - Common Pleas Court judgeRRooggeerr FF.. GGoorrddoonn - Philadelphia - Common Pleas CourtjudgeJJoosseepphh SSccootttt OO’’KKeeeeffee - Philadelphia Municipal CourtCCaarrooll PPeettrruusskkyy - Westmoreland - deputy courtadministratorKKeennnneetthh JJ.. PPoowweellll JJrr.. - Philadelphia - Common PleasCourt judgeJJeennnniiffeerr RReeiiddeerr - York - deputy court administratorJJooaann RReeiimmiilllleerr - Columbia-Montour - assistant courtadministratorTThhoommaass RRoobbeerrttss - York - deputy court administratorTT.. FFrraanncciiss SShhiieellddss - Philadelphia Municipal CourtKKaarreenn VViinnttoonn - Wayne - deputy court administratorWWiilllliiaamm FF.. WWaarrdd - Allegheny - Common Pleas Court judge

AAOOPPCCSSccootttt BBllaacckk - Judicial Automation - AV technicianSShheerrrrii HHeennddeerrssoonn - Judicial Automation - systems analystWWiilllliiaamm MMccCCaarrtthhyy - Judicial Automation - programmeranalystNNaattaalliiaa PPeettrroovvaa - Judicial Programs - interpretercertification coordinatorMMaatttthheeww RRuutthh - Judicial Automation - programmer analystBBaarrbbaarraa SSiitteess - Finance - budget analystEElliizzaabbeetthh SSmmiitthh - Finance - payroll technicianSStteepphheenn WWaallkkeerr - Judicial Automation - databaseadministrator

OOtthheerr JJoobb CChhaannggeessCChhaadd FF.. KKeennnneeyy SSrr.. - Delaware - elected president judge

DDeeaatthhssTTeerrrryy BBaakkeerr - York - former deputy court administratorRRooyy CC.. BBrriiddggeess - Dauphin - former (sr.) MDJ

JJoohhnn RR.. DDeeAAnnggeelliiss - Allegheny - fomer (sr.) MDJTThhoommaass EE.. DDeemmppsseeyy - Philadelphia - former CommonPleas Court judgeGGeeoorrggiinnaa GG.. FFrraannccii - Allegheny - fomer (sr.) MDJJJaanniiccee BB.. HHeettttiinnggeerr - Lehigh - fomer MDJRRiicchhaarrdd JJ.. HHooddggssoonn - Montgomery - Common Pleas CourtjudgeCChhaarrlleess DD.. LLeemmmmoonndd - Luzerne - former Common PleasCourt judgeMM.. JJoosseepphh MMeellooddyy JJrr.. - Chester - former Common PleasCourt judgeEEuuggeennee WW.. SShhaaeeffffeerr - Armstrong - fomer (sr.) MDJ

RReettiirreemmeennttssCCoouunnttiieessLLiinnddaa MMaallaakkiinn - Wayne - assistant to the courtadministratorVViirrggiinniiaa SSeelleesskkyy - Westmoreland - deputy courtadministratorWWaarrdd WWiilllliiaammss - Delaware - deputy court administratorNNaannccyy ZZuurr - Cambria - assistant court administrator

RReessiiggnnaattiioonnssCCoouunnttiieessWWiilllliiss WW.. BBeerrrryy JJrr.. - Philadelphia - Common Pleas CourtjudgeRRaayymmoonndd BBiilllloottttee - Allegheny - district court administratorRRoobbeerrtt JJ.. BBoollttoonn - Northumberland - MDJJJoosseepphh PP.. CCrroonniinn JJrr.. - Delaware - Common Pleas CourtjudgeMMiicchhaaeell EE.. DDuunnllaavveeyy - Erie - Common Pleas Court judgeJJooaann KK.. HHaauussmmaann - Lehigh - sr. MDJBBiillllaa JJaammiissoonn - York - deputy court administratorWWiilllliiaamm FF.. KKeeaarr - Northampton - sr. MDJRRaallpphh WW.. LLiittzzeennbbeerrggeerr - Northampton - sr. MDJLLaauurreennccee JJ.. MMccKKeeoonn - Delaware - MDJWWiilllliiaamm FF.. MMoorraann - Northampton - sr. Common PleasCourt judge

Transitions Gina L. Earle, editor Ext. 4095

(Transitions continued on page 13)

25 YearsTTaayylloorr WWiilllliiaammss - Legal

20 YearsBBoo HHoobbaauugghh - Administrative ServicesDDaavviidd LLaannee - Communications/Legislative Affairs

15 YearsDDaarrrreenn BBrreesslliinn - Judicial ProgramsNNaannccyy KKrraannzz - Human ResourcesDDaarryyll WWaallkkeerr - Legal

JJoosseepphh BBeennddeerr - Judicial AutomationBBeetthh SScchhnneeiiddeerr - Human Resources

10 YearsSStteepphheenn DDoohheennyy - Judicial AutomationJJaammeess HHaarrddiinn - Judicial AutomationAAmmyy HHiillddeebbrraanndd - Judical AutomationKKiimm JJuummppeerr - Human ResourcesSShhaavvoonnnnee SSaannttaannaa - Administrative ServicesJJiimm VVaann KKiirrkk - Finance

AOPC Employee Service Milestones

3

What religion does God belong to?

Such a question has always been a perplexing one,even more so in our troubled and divisive time. Ameri-ca has been described as living in a “post-denomina-tional” age. Statistics prove that membership in organ-ized religion has declined rapidly. Mahatma Gandhi'swisdom about the power of faith in a divine presencemay have been prescient when he observed manyyears ago, “God has no religion.”

These thoughts came to mind a few summers agowhen I saw the above sign on a store-front row build-ing in Philadelphia. The sign fascinated me, so I tooka picture and kept it on my desk. I wondered aboutthe denomination of the church. I marveled at thebeauty and simplicity of its intriguing self-identificationand all-embracing welcome. For we truly live in aworld of so many broken pieces.

Throughout history human and divine law havemaintained a close co-existence. There is a seriesof14th century frescoes in a civic building in Siena,Italy. The theme of the painted panels is The Allegoryof Good and Bad Government. The frescoes are picto-rial morality lessons. Judith Resnick and Dennis Curtisin their magisterial book Representing Justice note thatAmbrogio Lorenzetti’s paintings “pronounced that Jus-tice was central to good governance, communality,powerful leadership, peace and/or access to heaven.”

The continuing relevance of faith to courthouseiconography is reflected in the monumental 1927murals by Violet Oakley in the Pennsylvania SupremeCourt’s courtroom in Harrisburg. They are magnifi-cent. The 16 panels in the Opening of the Book ofLaw series were part of Oakley’s 25-year project for theState Capitol. They demonstrate the inspirational rela-tionship between divine and secular authority. Thewords in one panel are noteworthy: “The Streams ofthe Law, running through All Countries, down through-out All Ages purified by Wisdom meet in the Sea ofLight, Divine Law.” In another panel, The Scale of Law

and its Harmonies, the list begins and ends with DivineLaw.

Tending to the broken pieces of humanity, however,has not been the exclusive domain of religion. Man-kind has been guided by sibling virtues, theological andcardinal. As Violet Oakley notes in one particularpanel, “[U. S. Senator Daniel] Webster has said thatJustice is the great interest of Man on Earth.” Whilewe do not offer the possibility of redemption or salva-tion in an afterlife, our courts attempt to provide heal-ing through the restorative powers of the cardinalvirtue, Justice.

In his eloquent sentencing statement in the JerrySandusky trial, Judge JJoohhnn CClleellaanndd acknowledged thedamage that had been done to the bodies, psychesand souls of the 10 children that Sandusky had sexual-ly assaulted. He went on, “For others, their sense ofcommunity and place has been shattered; their loyal-ties have been tested and their lives have been irrevo-cably altered. All of them have hoped that justice, asthey define it, would be done.”

On any given day, in the courtrooms of our court-houses, our guardians of justice — judges and juries —confront the challenges and obligations of judgmentand justice here on Earth. Questions of life, liberty andproperty confront our decision-makers and take somany different forms — acquittal or conviction (andsentencing) in a criminal case, the imposition of liabilityin a malpractice or commercial case, the terminationof parental rights, the placement of an abused or neg-lected child in foster care, the offering of rehabilitativeprograms to veterans and others damaged by traumat-ic events or abusive substances, resolution of a land-lord-tenant dispute and even the determination ofresponsibility in a traffic violation case.

Our courthouses, like our houses of worship, aresacred places for healing. Regardless of denomination,in this troubled world, our courthouse doors are opento all. Our flock has always been the broken pieces ofhumanity.

bbyy ZZiigg PPiinneess

From the Desk of the Court Administrator

Of Heaven and Earth

4

Reports Recommend Ways to Improve Lives ofDependent Children

A number of reports from the AOPC’s Office of Children and Families in the Courts(OCFC), recommending ways to improve the lives of abused and neglected children, arenow available online. Topics covered include visitation policies, truancy, legal representa-tion, father engagement, transitioning to adult life and the use of medication with depend-ent children.

The reports were prepared by state Children’s Roundtable workgroups of experts repre-senting the courts and child welfare, education and juvenile probation agencies, workingunder the guidance of Supreme Court Justice MMaaxx BBaaeerr. They are as follows:

VViissiittaattiioonn RReeppoorrttIssued by a workgroup co-chaired by Blair County President Judge JJoolleennee GGrruubbbb KKoopprriivvaa and Beaver County Chil-dren and Youth Services Administrator Dayna Revay.

Addresses the removal of children from a family.

Concludes that in most cases the parent-child relationship must be preserved. Even children not reunified withtheir parents may benefit from visitation with immediate and extended family, the report states.

DDeeppeennddeenntt CChhiillddrreenn ooff IInnccaarrcceerraatteedd PPaarreennttss RReeppoorrttIssued by a workgroup chaired by Allegheny County Judge KKiimm BBeerrkkeelleeyy CCllaarrkk.

Chronicles the steady increase of Pennsylvanian parents who are in jail — and the impact on their children. Thereport finds that most children want to maintain a bond with their incarcerated parents and visits are important tothe child’s well-being.

It recommends better collaboration between the courts, child welfare agencies, correctional facilities and proba-tion/parole offices in case planning, services and visitation.

HHeeaarriinngg OOffffiicceerr EEdduuccaattiioonn RReeppoorrttIssued by the workgroup co-chaired by Franklin/Fulton Counties Judge CCaarrooll LL.. VVaann HHoorrnn and Cumberland Coun-ty Judge AAllbbeerrtt MMaassllaanndd.

Recommends that juvenile court hearing officers become more aware of the changing dependency practices.Hearing officers, or masters, are often the first and sometimes only dependency court officials to interact withfamilies, the report notes. While trial court judges gather several times a year at a statewide conference, current-ly, no similar educational opportunities are geared specifically for hearing officers. Plans are underway to developand hold educational sessions specially for hearing officers.

LLeeggaall RReepprreesseennttaattiioonn RReeppoorrttIssued by a workgroup co-chaired Butler County Judge KKeelllleeyy TT..DD.. SSttrreeiibb and Montgomery County Judge WWeennddyyDDeemmcchhiicckk--AAllllooyy.

Emphasizes the importance of training for guardians ad litem — attorneys who represent children in dependencycourts — and parent advocates. In 2011 the OCFC provided training to more than 600 attorneys who representchildren and parents in dependency cases.

The report recommends expanding training to solicitors who represent child welfare agencies.

TTrraannssiittiioonniinngg YYoouutthh RReeppoorrttIssued by a workgroup co-chaired by Northumberland County Judge CChhaarrlleess HH.. SSaayylloorr and Philadelphia HumanServices Deputy Commissioner Vanessa Garrett Harley.

Examines issues facing older youth in Pennsylvania’s foster care system. The report reveals that of the 254,114foster care youth who left supervised placement in 2010, 11 percent left due to age, not because they obtained apermanent family.

bbyy SStteevvee SScchheellll

(Reports continued on page 15)

Redesigned Judiciary Website to BeMore User Friendly bbyy AAmmyy KKeellcchhnneerr

AOPConnected ispublished periodically.

Managing EditorArt Heinz

ContributorsGina L. EarleArt HeinzRhonda HockerAmy KelchnerSteve Schell

Graphic DesignGina L. Earle

EditorJim Koval

Executive EditorsTom DarrAndrea B. Tuominen

For more informationabout Pennsylvania’scourts, please visitwww.pacourts.usor call Rhonda Hockerat (717) 231-3326.

Supreme Court ofPennsylvania

Ronald D. CastilleChief Justice

Thomas G. SaylorJustice

J. Michael EakinJustice

Max BaerJustice

Debra ToddJustice

Seamus P. McCafferyJustice

Joan Orie MelvinJustice

Zygmont A. PinesCourt Administratorof Pennsylvania

Continuing alegacy of court inno-vation, Pennsylvania’sjudiciary is launchinga new website with adynamic change inappearance, naviga-tion and overalldesign.

The overhaulpromises to make thesite more modern,accessible andengaging to both frequent and occa-sional visitors. The website address willremain www.pacourts.us.

Enhancements to the new siteinclude redesigned page layouts,improved navigation and organizationof various court information areas andhighlighted news of interest to the courtcommunity and general public.

“The importance of the Internet,coupled with the manner by which peo-ple are changing how they receive infor-mation, drove our desire to improve themanagement and integration of contenton the website,” Chief Justice of Penn-sylvania RRoonnaalldd DD.. CCaassttiillllee said. “Werecognize that accessibility to informa-tion plays a crucial role in maintainingpublic confidence in the state court sys-tem.”

The website “refresh” project beganin earnest in early 2012 with andCul-ture, a Harrisburg-based consultantselected to analyze the site and inter-view scores of users. andCultureworked collaboratively with an AOPCproject team that included AAmmyy CCeerraassoo,Judicial Automation director; RRaallpphhHHuunnssiicckkeerr, Judicial Automation assistantdirector; DDaannnnyy BBaaccoonn, Web develop-ment team leader; RRuusssseell MMoonnttcchhaall,senior development analyst, and me.

With input from jurists, administra-tors, lawyers, media, judicial system

employees and others— and guidancefrom the projectteam — a course ofaction was drafted asto what informationto offer and how toorganize it. Monthsof comparative analy-sis of other judicialwebsites and a studyof the needs of themany components ofPennsylvania’s judici-

ary, also took place.

The changes gave the website aunified look while providing each appel-late court the opportunity to post its owncontent on separate web pages.

One of the highlights will be thepromotion of the courts and issuesimportant to the judiciary. The informa-tion will be featured regularly andupdated on the home page. The web-site is managed by AOPC’s Communi-cations Office with technical assistancefrom the Judicial Automation Depart-ment. Communications staff will workclosely with staff of all the courts tohighlight accomplishments and items ofinterest.

The redesign underscored Pennsyl-vania’s continuing role as a nationalleader in automating judicial recordsand processes to more efficiently admin-ister the state court system and broadenpublic accessibility. Pennsylvania wasthe second state court system to createa website when it began posting onlineappellate court opinions and other datain April 1995 — one week after theFlorida courts launched a narrower sitethat was limited to biographical infor-mation.

Amy Kelchner is the AOPC’s assistantcommuncations manager.

6

Honors and DispatchesChief Justice of Pennsylvania RRoonnaalldd DD.. CCaassttiillllee wasnamed to the American Bar Association’s Task Forceon the Future of Legal Education. The task force wasestablished to review and make recommendations onthe state of legal education and its responsiveness tothe needs and opportunities of the legal market. Itconsists of representatives from the judiciary, bar asso-ciations and law schools. The group will be chaired byrecently retired Indiana Supreme Court Chief JusticeRandall T. Shepard.

***

Supreme Court Justice SSeeaammuuss PP.. MMccCCaaffffeerryy formallyaccredited the York County Adult Drug and DUI Treat-ment Courts during a special ceremony in Septemberat the York County Administration Building. The certifi-cate of accreditation, signed by Justice McCaffery andChief Justice of Pennsylvania RRoonnaalldd DD.. CCaassttiillllee,acknowledges the treatment courts for “being in com-pliance with the nationally recognized best practices forprogram operations and standards established by theSupreme Court.” York County Judge PPeennnnyy LL.. BBllaacckk--wweellll said more than 400 people are participating in thecounty’s drug, DUI, mental health and veterans adulttreatment courts.

***

An innovative Allegheny County program that providesprivate money to help children and youth has receivednational recognition and served as a role model forother communities across the nation. Harvard Univer-sity named the AAlllleegghheennyy CCoouunnttyy MMuussiicc FFeessttiivvaall FFuunnddas one of its “Bright Ideas.” The designation is part ofthe American Government Awards Program, sponsoredby the Ash Center for Democratic Governance andInnovation at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School ofGovernment.

Proceeds from the fund help children receiving servicesthrough the Allegheny County Department of HumanServices or the family division of the Allegheny CountyCourt of Common Pleas. More than $550,000 hasbeen raised, benefitting more than 2,300 at-risk chil-dren through summer camps, field trips, college tours,dance, karate, music lessons and other life-enrichingopportunities.

***

Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System was well repre-sented at a national Summit on Language Access inthe Courts in Houston, Texas, where judges, adminis-trators and staff discussed ways to enhance court inter-pretation services for people with limited English skills.

Court Administrator of Pennsylvania ZZyyggmmoonntt AA.. PPiinneess,Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge IIddaa KK.. CChheenn, AOPCInterpreter Program Administrator OOssvvaallddoo RR.. AAvviilleessand AOPC Interpreter Certification Coordinator NNaattaalliiaaPPeettrroovvaa attended sessions on devising solutions to pro-vide greater consistency on policies related to interpre-tation in state courts. They were among 300 courtleaders from 49 states, three territories and the Districtof Columbia in attendance at the three-day event.

***

Chief Justice of Pennsylvania RRoonnaalldd DD.. CCaassttiillllee, JusticeSSeeaammuuss PP.. MMccCCaaffffeerryy and Philadelphia Bar AssociationChancellor John E. Savoth jointly announced a collabo-ration between Pennsylvania’s veterans courts and thebar association’s Military Assistance Program. The barassociation’s program provides pro bono assistance todeployed and mobilized military personnel and theirfamilies and to veterans of recent conflicts in Iraq andAfghanistan. Legal assistance is needed in a variety ofareas, including bankruptcy, family law, wills andestates, consumer, employment, housing and tax law.For veterans specifically, legal assistance is needed inthe areas of veterans’ service-related compensation,Veterans Administration health care and dischargeupgrades.

The program has a hotline in the offices of thePhiladelphia Bar’s Lawyer Referral and InformationService at 215-238-6388. To volunteer for the pro-gram, an attorney must be licensed to practice in Penn-sylvania, carry professional liability insurance and pos-sess a willingness to provide pro bono services on shortnotice.

***

Franklin/Fulton counties JudgeRRiicchhaarrdd WWaallsshh was honored bythe Pennsylvania Commission onCrime and Delinquency with theJudge LLiinnddaa KK..MM.. LLuuddggaattee Crimi-nal Justice Advisory Board Excel-lence in Leadership Award.Judge Walsh guided creation ofthe Franklin County Criminal Jus-tice Advisory Board, which is ajoint effort of the county Board of Commissioners andCourt of Common Pleas judges. The advisory boardprovides a forum to address immediate and futureneeds and helps prioritize criminal justice policies andprograms. It was instrumental in researching optionsand recommending the size and function of the new

(Honors and Dispatches continued on page 10)

7

Blair County Dramatically Cuts Backlog of DUI Casesbbyy AArrtt HHeeiinnzz

Blair County Court has transformed its once slug-gish process of handling DUI cases in dramatic fashionby streamlining the manner and time cases spend inthe system.

The wide-sweeping changes — developed withinput from the bench, the bar, court administration,prison and drug and alcohol representatives — couldserve as a role model for other courts across thenation. The results: Blair County has cut the averagetime spent between a DUI arrest and a plea by morethan a year since 2006, despite a growing number ofcases, and provided faster and more meaningful deci-sions.

Court managers noticed a troubling trend a fewyears ago: a growing backlog of DUI cases that weretaking more than a year to resolve and burgeoningnumbers of repeat offenders who were awaiting trial fora first — and in some cases, second — offense.

Data shows the court makeover whittled down theaverage number of months waiting between a DUIarrest and plea from 15 months in 2006 to just threein 2012. This came amid a nearly two-fold increase inthe number of DUI defendants, from 294 in 2006 to559 in 2011.

Since launching the changes in January 2011,nearly 95 percent of DUI cases are resolved in sixmonths or less.

Blair Coun-ty PresidentJudge JJoolleenneeKKoopprriivvaa andJudge DDaanniieell MMiilllliirroonn collaborated on the need forspeed with an eye on two goals — community safetyand swifter movement of defendants into treatmentprograms. They assembled a task force that decidedsix months was sufficient to resolve most cases andthen created a blueprint for the new procedures.

“This process makes each court date meaningfuland capitalizes on the fact that most DUIs have basicfact patterns that have minimal discovery issues,”Judge Kopriva said. “We have received tremendouscooperation and collaboration from all stakeholders toachieve better safety and dispositions of DUIs.”

Here’s how it works in Blair, which sees about 600DUI defendants annually:

• DUI and other criminal cases appear on separatetrial lists.

• DUI preliminary conferences are held twice month-ly and also serve as formal arraignments.

• If defendants file pretrial motions to delay proceed-ings, the court may deny any jail-diversion pro-grams.

• If defendants opt for the Accelerated RehabilitationDisposition or intermediate punishment programs,

they must do soon or before theirpreliminary con-ferences or auto-matically forfeitthe right to apply.

• Program applicants are reviewed and approved orrejected before their next scheduled preliminaryconferences.

• Defendants approved for a program enter on thenext scheduled preliminary conference. If they arenot approved, the court enters a traditional sen-tence at that next conference.

• Defendants may request a trial or enter a guiltyplea and receive a traditional sentence.

• Magisterial district judges monitor continuances toensure cases move to Common Pleas Court withinfour to six weeks.

Judges Kopriva (left) and Milliron

The wide-sweeping changes...could serve as arole model for other courts across the nation.

8

country, turning quiet Bellefonte into the focus ofnational media for days at a time.

To accommodate the media crush — including asmany as 30 television satellite trucks, ranging in lengthfrom 22 to 40 feet — streets were closed, traffic laneswere blocked and court staff parking was sacrificed.The media limelight put Bellefonte on the map forgood as attention from the case shook the daily routineof many who live, work and visit there.

Streets, sidewalks and the yard around the court-house all but disappeared beneath cable, microphonesand lighting equipment. With the satellite truck gener-ators humming, reporters and photographers swarmed,hell-bent on getting the “hottest story” or “perfectshot” and getting it first.

To minimize the disruption, President Judge Kistlerasked the Supreme Court to authorize conductingsome court services outside the county seat during thetrial, in accordance with Rule of Judicial Admin. 1952.

“Nobody could have anticipated the series ofevents we faced over the last year.” said Judge Kistler.“The disruption from the Sandusky case required us totake prudent measures to continue essential court serv-ices, such as the acceptance of papers for filing, includ-ing Protection from Abuse petitions and other emer-gency matters.”

All regular court offices remained open throughoutthe period. The prothonotary, public defender and pro-bation and parole offices moved people and equipment

to the Dickinson Schoolof Law’s Lewis KatzBuilding on Penn State’scampus in State College.

“It was very chal-lenging to maintain theoperations at the court-house and DickinsonSchool of Law as well asplan and coordinate theSandusky proceedings,”said County DistrictCourt AdministratorMMaaxxiinnee OO.. IIsshhlleerr.“There were manyevents that added to thischallenge, such as moving the satellite trucks from thestreets of Bellefonte at the end of the first week of thetrial to allow space for the annual car show; conductinga local high profile case at the same time as the San-dusky case and having a devastating fire that destroyeda historic building adjacent to the courthouse annexweeks before sentencing.”

SSeeccuurriittyy CCoonncceerrnnssIf the Sandusky case wasn’t enough to stretch secu-

rity staff thin, Judge Kistler also was presiding at thesame time over a retrial of a Russian burglary ring—acase of local interest with its own set of security con-cerns.

The Centre County Sheriff’s Office found that col-laboration and flexibility was key in maintaining courtsecurity through all phases of the Sandusky case andthe simultaneous Russian burglary ring retrial.

“Although our office utilized our basic court securityplan, we needed to be flexible in deploying our man-power, making last-minute changes on a daily basis toadjust to the needs of the trials both within and outsidethe courtrooms,” Centre Sheriff Denny Nau said. “I

am proud of how CentreCounty handled this very dif-ficult trial as the eyes of thenation were on us.”

Coincidently, both theSandusky trial and burglaryring retrial ended with guiltyverdicts within hours of eachother on June 25.

As many as 30 satellitetrucks were packed intoevery available spacearound the courthouse.

Security was tight duringthe trial.

Sandusky, continued from page 1

9

JJuuddggee CClleellaanndd’’ss RRoolleeSenior Judge JJoohhnn MM.. CClleellaanndd of McKean County

was appointed by the Supreme Court to preside overthe Sandusky case after Centre County judges recusedthemselves. Judge Cleland has handled many com-plex, high-profile cases, and has been credited withkeeping the Sandusky case on track. His handlingof the jury selection process, for example, surprisedmany when he oversaw the selection of a jury fromCentre County and accomplished it in less thantwo days.

Judge Cleland took additional steps: meetingwith a national and local media committee, repre-sentatives from theAOPC, local lawenforcement, the Penn-sylvania Association ofBroadcasters and thePennsylvania Newspa-pers Association to

ensure a fair and impartial trial and minimize disrup-tions to other court business and the community. Sep-arate meetings were held before the preliminary hear-ing, trial, jury deliberations and sentencing.

The judge’s carefully-crafted decorum ordersserved as blueprints for the successful management ofa high-profile court case, laying the ground rules forthe media and public both inside and outside thecourtroom.

CCoonncclluussiioonnThose living in, working in and visiting Bellefonteundoubtedly hope that Sandusky’s sentencing marks areturn to normal. But as Judge Kistler remarked, “Thecourt system knows that you cannot rely upon a stateof ‘normalcy’ and now fully understands what is

required to handle theextremes beyond ‘nor-mal’ and to do so suc-cessfully.”

When all the cables,microphones and cam-eras were packed andall the television satel-lite trucks rolled awayfrom the streets ofBellefonte, one thing

remained for all those involved in the Sandusky caseand that was a heavy heart. Because at the end of theday, this was a heart-breaking and disturbing storyabout the horrific crime of child sex abuse.

“The tragedy of this crime is that it is a story of betray-al,” Judge Cleland said at sentencing. He told thedefendant, “You abused the trust of those who trustedyou.”

[Steve Schell is an AOPC communications coordinator.]

(Right) Roger Cossack (left)and Bob Ley of ESPN.(Middle) Reporters coveringthe back of the courthouse.(Bottom left) A news confer-ence after Sandusky wassentenced Oct. 9, 2012.

Bellefonte the day after Sandusky’s sentencinghearing. (Photo courtesy Judge Kistler)

10

Honors & Dispatches, continued from page 6

Franklin County jail. The objective was to reducerecidivism and the number of bed spaces needed.

***

Allegheny County Criminal Division AdministrativeJudge JJeeffffrreeyy AA.. MMaannnniinngg announced the adoption andimplementation of a handbook governing constables inthe Fifth Judicial District. The book represents the workof an advisory board created in April 2010 by JudgeManning that was charged with recommending policieson duties, requirements, organization, training, respon-sibilities, ethics and discipline for constables. Magisteri-al District Judge RRiicchhaarrdd OOppiieellaa chaired the board.The comprehensive handbook also addresses arequired code of conduct, warrant services, prisonercustody and transport and payment processing.

***

RRiicchhaarrdd PPiieerrccee, an administrator with the AOPC’s Judi-cial Programs Department, and Berks County DeputyCourt Administrator LLiissaa SSiicciilliiaannoo have presented infor-mation seminars during the last year to more than 300court employees in judicial districts in eastern and cen-tral Pennsylvania. The sessions provide guidance forcourt employees who struggle with differentiatingbetween providing procedural information and legaladvice to lawyers, litigants and the general public.Pierce also addressed the Pennsylvania Prothonotariesand Clerks of Courts Association at its annual confer-ence in July on the same subject.

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State SupremeCourt JusticeDDeebbrraa TToodddd wasthe keynote speak-er for the annualChild Abuse Pre-vention Seminar,held in York. Theseminar is cospon-

sored by Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)Program of York County and Pennsylvania state Rep.Stan Saylor. Pictured here are (left to right) MaggieO’Brennan, president of the Child Abuse PreventionCouncil and CASA community liaison; Rep. Stan Saylorand Justice Todd.

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RRaayy BBiilllloottttee, Allegheny County courtadministrator since 1996, hasresigned to take a similar post inPhoenix, Ariz. Billotte left to becomeadministrator for Maricopa CountySuperior Court, one of the nation’slargest court systems covering mostof the estimated 4.1 million peopleliving in Phoenix

and its suburbs. Billotte, who origi-nally is from State College, will helpmanage an employee workforcenearly twice the size of that found inthe Fifth Judicial District. CCllaaiirree CC..CCaapprriissttoo,, EEssqq.., formerly chief deputycourt administrator, was appointeddistrict court administrator in Octo-ber.

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Allegheny County President Judge DDoonnnnaa JJoo MMccDDaanniieellwas presented with the Governor’s Victim ServicePathfinder Award for overseeing the development of adomestic violence court. Judge McDaniel, whobecame president judge in 2008, was nominated bythe Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburghand was presented the award during a ceremony in thecourtyard of the Allegheny County Courthouse. JudgeMcDaniel began holding specialized sessions in 2002to deal with violations of protection from abuse ordersin criminal court, instead of in family court where theyhad been heard. She expanded the court into hearingdomestic violence probation cases, repeat batterersand review hearings.

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Allegheny County Judge KKiimm BBeerrkkee--lleeyy CCllaarrkk was presented with the22nd annual Athena Award, recog-nizing professional excellence, con-tributions to the community andmentorship of other women, duringceremonies sponsored by theAllegheny Conference on Communi-ty Development in Pittsburgh. The

award — named after Athena, the Greek goddess ofstrength and wisdom — distinguishes itself from otherregional honors for women in business because of itsfocus on the development of women leaders throughmentorship.

11

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

AOPC Staffers Certified Technology Managersbbyy SStteevvee SScchheellll

Three senior AOPC Judi-cial Automation Departmentstaffers, MMaarrkk RRootthheerrmmeell,DDaammoonn KKlliinnee and DDeenniissee AAyyll--wwaarrdd, recently completedHarrisburg University of Sci-ence and Technology’s newCertified Government ChiefInformation Officer Program(CIO). The program is spe-cially designed to address theunique challenges facingpublic sector informationtechnology managers.

“We believe this programprovides an excellent oppor-tunity for technical and pro-fessional development,” saidDirector of Judicial Automation AAmmyy CCeerraassoo. “Thefocused curriculum and intense training is structured toenhance participants’ competencies that will keep theJudicial Automation Department leading innovative,effective technological solutions for our courts.”

The program enables information technology (IT)managers to earn a recognized credential while devel-oping the skills and knowledge to keep pace with rapid-ly changing technology. Managers become better ableto understand communications, finance, humanresources, policy-making, management practices andhow to effectively connect the technology to businessneeds.

Mark Rothermel, the Magisterial District Judge Sys-tem project manager with 21 years at the AOPC, said,“The CIO program had sessions lead by subject matterexperts from both private and public sectors on topicsvarying from the Pennsylvania budgeting process to riskassessment planning at NASA’s Goddard Space FlightCenter. It promoted peer-learning, building relation-ships with others in public sector information technolo-gy and the importance of staying abreast of emergingapproaches to management and technology planning.”

Damon Kline is the Pennsylvania Judicial Center ITsupport supervisor and part of the Judicial Automa-tion’s Enterprise Operations group that supports desk-top and infrastructure, audio and video, communica-tions, and telephone and networks. He also managesthe team that provides technical support to theSupreme Court chambers and staff in Harrisburg.

Kline has worked at theAOPC for 12 years, startingas a Supreme Court techni-cian and advancing to hiscurrent management posi-tion.

Denise Aylward is an ITmanager who also has beenworking as a senior analyston several case managementsystems. She has been withthe AOPC for 11 years, start-ing as a systems trainer andadvancing to her currentposition where she worksclosely with the AOPC’sEnterprise ApplicationsDesign Architect in designing,

enhancing and maintaining large case managementapplications deployed statewide. She also played a keyrole in developing a statewide dependency and delin-quency system used by trial courts.

“Being a part of the inaugural class of the CertifiedGovernment CIO course was an invaluable experi-ence,” Aylward said. “One of the most beneficialaspects of the class was being able to discuss issuesand compare notes with other state agencies. We alsofocused on newer technologies and project manage-ment and testing practices, topics related to my posi-tion at AOPC. I hope to apply some of the approachesdiscussed in future projects, such as the Juvenile Delin-quency Case Management system.”

“Another important aspect of the program to ourorganization is the opportunity to be more involved inthe broader IT and government community in the Har-risburg area,” Ceraso said. “The chance for our staffto interact with colleagues in an organized educationsetting is bound to result in new ideas and techniquesfor managing programs and projects.”

According to the university’s website, Pennsylvaniastate government spends in excess of $1 billion annual-ly on information technology, and county and localgovernments collectively make similar investments eachyear. It notes that all governments are challenged bydecreasing budgets and increasing demands for serv-ice, but if properly planned and implemented, technol-ogy can produce significant benefits through thesechallenging times.

(Left to right) Mark Rothermel, Denise Aylwardand Damon Kline

12

Communication Breakdown

Court Information Officers Strategize How to Adaptto Changing Needs bbyy TToomm DDaarrrr

Ohio University’s Tom Hodson, a former judge andlong-time participant in annual meetings of the Confer-ence of Court Public Information Officers (CCPIO)summed up communications challenges facing organi-zations (including courts) today with these words: “Themedia have changed more in the last five years than inthe prior 50 years.”

Discussion of these challenges was a significantpart of the CCPIO’s annual conference in St. Peters-burg, Fla., from July 30-Aug. 1. A mix of veteran pub-lic information officers and newer members, number-ing more than 50 from state and local courts — includ-ing three participants from Korea, and one from Guam— shared their experiences and best practices.

Hodson, former director of Ohio University’sScripps School of Journalism, now leads the university’sextensive public television/radio and digital communica-tions programs. In that role he describes his task ofredefining the role of broadcasting to be “digital first.”That means information reported for OU’s public TVand radio platforms gets first play on the Web — pro-viding users instant access to information rather thanfrom scheduled TV/radio newscasts.

That, of course, is part of the challenge for courtcommunicators: how on behalf of judicial systems tomeet the insistent need of the media (however defined)for information that, in Hodson’s words, is “dynamic?”Among manyapproaches dis-cussed was a closelook at the Ohiocourts’ creation of“Court NewsOhio,” its web-based, multi-mediaeffort to “brand”news disseminationabout the Ohiocourt system.

Other topicsincluded planningby Pennsylvaniaand Florida courtsfor news coverageof the recent JerrySandusky and

Casey Anthony cases, including the social mediadesires of journalists that may contrast sometimes withthe interest of courts to ensure decorous, safe andimpartial trials. SStteevvee SScchheellll, an AOPC communica-tions coordinator, was one of the panelists.

Something with which most state courts seem to bestruggling — public access to electronic court records— was also a topic of consideration, and the Confer-ence of State Court Administrators’ two-point “stan-dard” was noted: 1) with due regard for privacy,records should be open; and 2) records should be freeor inexpensive.

Shifting to the western part of the United States,next year’s conference is slated for Salt Lake City.

The results of the 2012 CCPIO New Media and theCourts Survey, the third annual in a series, werereleased during the conference. Among several out-comes were these:

• the participation of judges surveyed continued toclimb, as did their use of the technologies surveyed

• the percentage of judges who strongly agree thattheir use of the technologies poses no threat to pro-fessional ethics has doubled since the first year ofthe survey. This applies whether the technologiesare used in personal or professional lives

• the percentage of judges who strongly agree thatcourts can use the technologies without compro-

mising ethics hasalso doubled since2010

• the percentage of judges who strongly agree that new media are necessary for public outreach has doubled since 2010.

[Tom Darr is Penn-sylvania’s deputycourt administrator.]

AOPC Communications Coordinator Steve Schell (center) partici-pated on a panel discussing media coverage of high-profile courtcases.

13

Transitions, continued from page 2PPaauull MM.. PPoozzoonnsskkyy - Washington - Common Pleas CourtjudgeDDoorrootthhyy SSkkeerrcchhoocckk - Montgomery - sr. MDJ

AAOOPPCCEElliizzaabbeetthh BBaassuullttoo--RRoommeerroo - Judicial Programs - interpretercertification coordinatorSStteepphheenn MMuuttzzeell - Judicial Automation - databaseadministratorKKrriisstteenn OO''CCoonnnneellll - Finance - payroll technicianHHaarrrryy WWiillffoonngg - Judicial Automation - Crystal Enterprise/.NET programmer

AAppppooiinnttmmeennttssJJoosseepphh PP.. CCrroonniinn JJrr.. - Delaware - sr. Common Pleas CourtjudgeMMiicchhaaeell EE.. DDuunnllaavveeyy - Erie - sr. Common Pleas CourtjudgeDDaanniieell RR.. HHooffffmmaann IIII - Centre - sr. MDJLLaawwrreennccee JJ.. MMccKKeeoonn - Delaware - sr. MDJRRaallpphh CC.. WWaarrmmaann - Fayette - sr. Common Pleas Courtjudge

SSuupprreemmee CCoouurrtt CCoommmmiitttteeeessHonorable JJeerrrryy GG.. CCaarrttwwrriigghhtt JJrr.. - apptd. to Minor CourtRules CommitteeNNiicchhoollaass AA.. CClleemmeennttee,, EEssqq.. - apptd. to Committee onRules of EvidenceMMaarriiaa PP.. CCooggnneettttii,, EEssqq.. - reapptd. to Domestic RelationsProcedural Rules CommitteeSSccootttt BB.. CCooooppeerr,, EEssqq.. - apptd. to Appellate CourtProcedural Rules Committee

Professor JJaammeess WW.. DDiieehhmm - apptd. vice chair of Commit-tee on Rules of EvidenceSSaammuueell GG.. EEnnccaarrnnaacciioonn,, EEssqq.. - reapptd. to Committee onRules of EvidenceLLoouuiiss FF.. GGoouulldd JJrr..,, EEssqq.. - apptd. to Pennsylvania LawyersFund for Client SecurityDDoouuggllaass WW.. LLeeoonnaarrdd - apptd. to Disciplinary BoardMMaarryy PPaauulleettttee MMuurrrraayy - apptd. chair of Minor Court RulesCommitteeBBrriiaann SS.. NNeefftt,, EEssqq.. - reapptd. to Pa. IOLTA BoardJJaannee GGoowweenn PPeennnnyy,, EEssqq.. - apptd. to Disciplinary BoardHonorable WWeennddyy LL.. PPeeww - apptd. to Minor Court RulesCommitteeHonorable JJaammeess KK.. RReeiillllyy - apptd. to Minor JudiciaryEducation BoardHonorable JJoohhnn TT.. RRoobbiinnssoonn - reapptd. to Minor JudiciaryEducation Board, apptd. chairMMiicchhaaeell AA.. SScchheerreerr,, EEssqq.. - reapptd. to Minor JudiciaryEducation Board, apptd. vice chairJJaammeess CC.. SScchhwwaarrttzzmmaann,, EEssqq.. - apptd. vice chair ofPa. IOLTA BoardHonorable IIssaaaacc HH.. SSttoollttzzffuuss - apptd. to Minor Court RulesCommitteeAAnnddrreeww FF.. SSuusskkoo,, EEssqq.. - apptd. chair of Pa. IOLTA Board

OOtthheerr BBooaarrddss//CCoommmmiitttteeeessRRoobbeerrtt JJ.. CCoollvviillllee - apptd. to Ct. of Judicial DisciplineSSaammuueell JJ.. MMaaggaarroo - apptd. to Judicial Conduct Board GGaarryy SS.. SScchheeiimmeerr - apptd. to Judicial Conduct Board

Around the JudiciaryErie County Judge SStteepphhaanniiee DDoommiittrroovviicchh gave apresentation on Parental Alienation Syndrome andthe Hague Convention to the International Con-gress on Legal Medicine in Istanbul, Turkey. Shediscussed the legal issues surrounding the parentalabduction of children and whether scientific evi-dence exists regarding what is known as ParentalAlienation Syndrome. Judge Domitrovich hasworked on the subject with an international lawyer,Serdar Kelahmet, of Turkey. Both are pictured herein front of the poster for the International Congress.Judge Domitrovich also co-chaired, with the deanof a Turkish medical school, a session on scientificissues involving autopsies that was presented byseveral international experts in forensic pathology.

14

Women in the Judiciary: A Perspectivebbyy IIrreennee MM.. BBiizzzzoossoo,, EEssqq..

Iowa was the first state to admit a woman to thebar way back in 1869 — the same year that Missouripermitted women to enroll in law school.

However, it proved to be one step forward followedby two steps backward for women and the law. A merethree years later, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld thedenial of a law license to an Illinois woman based sole-ly on her gender Bradwell v. State, 83 U.S. 130 (1872).

It was not until 1920 that women were permitted topractice law before the courts in every state.

Despite this, the advancement of women in thelegal field was slow. Some of this was due to the limit-ed acceptance of women to law schools — it wasn’tuntil the 1990s that enrollment of women in lawschools reached just above 42 percent with the highestenrollment to date occurring in 2004 at 49.5 percent.

Sadly, the bench has not kept up with the stridesmade in law school admissions.

“Even though the percentage of women in the judi-ciary has increased, there is still a gap between therepresentation of women in the profession and theirrepresentation on the bench,” said South CarolinaSupreme Court Justice Kaye G. Hearn. “Recent statis-tics show that women now comprise 32 percent of thelawyers in this country, but only 27 percent of itsjudges.”

Three female jurists who took different, but notnecessarily divergent, paths to the bench shared theirthoughts and experiences as well as some statisticaland demographic information on women in the judici-ary at the 39th annual National Conference of Appel-late Court Clerks in Charleston, SC. They were Califor-nia Courts of Appeal Associate Justice M. KathleenButz; Immigration Court for Arlington, VA, Retired

Judge Joan V. Churchill and JusticeHearn, president-elect of NationalAssociation of Women Judges.

Why is this so important?

Diversity on the bench promotesthe public’s perception of the fairnessof the institution, something that allof us in our roles of appellate courtclerks attempt to instill. It can be safely said that thereis a critical need for gender (and racial) inclusion onthe bench and that such “descriptive representation”inspires trust, credibility and confidence in the judicialsystem.

In other words, descriptive representation makes agenuine difference in the perception of the system; it

encourages all to access its protections and believe thatthe judicial system will treat them equally.

Women have come a long way in regards to thelaw and the bench, but not far enough. Organizationslike the National Association of Women Judges, whichwas formed in 1979, strive to promote diversity on thebench (gender and racial), equal access to justice fordisadvantaged groups, networking opportunities to fos-ter the development of judicial leaders and judicial edu-cation opportunities on cutting edge topics. But theyhave their work cut out for them.

[Irene Bizzoso is prothonotary of the Supreme Court ofPennsylvania and treasurer of the national conferenceof appellate court clerks.]

• the current number of employees as well as employees’ titles and annual salaries, updated monthly

Out of concern for employee security and respect for personal privacy, individual names are not listed.

The expansion of the fiscal disclosure policy is consistent with the principles of the recently-enacted Penn-Watch Act (Act 18 of 2011), balanced with the Supreme Court’s constitutional authority to independently admin-ister the judicial branch. Like this action by the Supreme Court, PennWatch is aimed at fostering accountabilityand transparency by mandating the posting of state government expenditures and compensation on a searchablewebsite.

(For more information visit www.pacourts.us and click on the Public Records link at the bottom of the page.)

Transparency, continued from page 1

Diversity on the bench promotesthe public’s perception of the fair-

ness of the institution...

15

Reports, continued from page 4

FFaatthheerr EEnnggaaggeemmeenntt RReeppoorrtt

Issued by a workgroup chaired by York County JudgeMMaarriiaa MMuussttii CCooookk.

Concludes many fathers with children in the child wel-fare system are either uninvolved or involved only in alimited manner. Having fathers involved is critical, thereport notes.

The workgroup identified barriers to father involvementand suggests all child welfare agencies in Pennsylvaniaadopt a training/support program for fathers.

CCoommmmoonn PPlleeaass CCaassee MMaannaaggeemmeenntt SSyysstteemm UUsseerrssRReeppoorrtt

Issued by a workgroup chaired by Lehigh County JudgeJJ.. BBrriiaann JJoohhnnssoonn.

Describes the enhanced and standardized collection ofchild dependency data throughout the state. The dataprovides a measure of what is happening with those inthe child welfare system and a guide for resources tosolve problems. Detailed case tracking also helps iden-tify counties and courts that excel in certain areas withan eye toward applying those practices elsewhere.

EEdduuccaattiioonnaall SSuucccceessss aanndd TTrruuaannccyy PPrreevveennttiioonnRReeppoorrttIssued by a workgroup co-chaired by Adams CountyPresident Judge JJoohhnn DD.. KKuuhhnn, Berks County JudgeMMaarryy AAnnnn UUllllmmaann and Allegheny County Children’sCourt Administrator CCyynntthhiiaa KK.. SSttoollttzz.

Proposes legislative changes and the development ofcomprehensive approaches to identify and track truantyouth. It also recommends better communicationbetween schools districts, children and youth services,courts and medical professionals.

PPssyycchhoottrrooppiicc MMeeddiiccaattiioonn RReeppoorrttIssued by a workgroup co-chaired by Allegheny CountyFamily Division Administrative Judge KKaatthhrryynn MM.. HHeennss--GGrreeccoo and Venango County Human Services Adminis-trator David Schwille.

Explores the use of mind-altering medication ondependent children. It examines national and statepractices, and identifies effective measures to monitoryouth using these medications.

For more information, visit the 2012 State RoundtableMeeting page of the OCFC’s website at www.ocfcpa-courts.us.

Around the JudiciaryCCrriimmiinnaall RRuulleess CChhiieeff CCoouunnsseellRReettiirreess

AAnnnnee PPaannffiill, former chief counsel tothe Supreme Court’s Criminal Proce-dural Rules Committee, was presentedwith a special commemorative print bythe Pennsylvania Game Commission tomark her retirement. Panfil, whohelped teach commission cadets howto handle criminal matters in enforcingthe state Game Code for more thanthree decades, received the work fromCommission Training Director TimGrenoble in appreciation of her work.

Joining her at the ceremony was JJeeffff WWaassiilleesskkii (second from left), criminal rules committee coun-sel. Panfil was appointed staff counsel to the Criminal Rules Committee on March 3, 1980. In1983, she was elevated to chief counsel — a position she held for nearly 30 years prior to herretirement at the end of July. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1970 andearned a master’s degree from Villanova University in 1975, followed by a law degree from Tem-ple University in 1978.

601 Commonwealth AvenueHarrisburg, PA 17120

AAnn HHoonnoorr ttoo CCrrooww AAbboouuttArmstrong County President Judge KKeennnneetthh GG.. VVaallaasseekk was award-ed the Golden Crowbar Award by the Pennsylvania Conference ofState Trial Judges during the group’s annual meeting in Hershey.The award, which recognizes judges who significantly improve theadministration of justice by implementing an innovative project,was presented to Judge Valasek by Adams County Judge JJoohhnnKKuuhhnn, Award Committee chair. Judge Valasek is the first Crowbarwinner from Armstrong County. He was recognized for his imple-mentation of a case management order that significantly lessenedthe time it took for criminal cases to go through the court system.He also streamlined the disposition of custody cases by instituting apretrial settlement conference.

In addition to his work with criminal courts, Judge Valasek drafteda handbook and started a website to help self-represented litigantsnavigate through the courts. He also persuaded five area schooldistricts to standardize the definition of truancy to better combatschool absenteeism.

“This distinguishes the county and brings honor to the bench,” saidArmstrong County Judge JJaammeess JJ.. PPaanncchhiikk who nominated his fellow jurist for the award.

The Golden Crowbar recognizes significant efforts to improve the administration of justice by alleviatingbacklogs in the court system.

Around the Judiciary