Supreme Court Justices are Ronald D. Castille, Chief Justice, Associate Justices Thomas G. Saylor, J. Michael Eakin, Max Baer, Debra Todd, Seamus P. McCaffery, Joan Orie Melvin. Annual compensation for Supreme Court Justices is $186,450 and for the Chief Justice $191,876.

The Superior Court is one of Pennsylvania's two statewide intermediate appellate courts. This court, which was established in 1895, reviews most of the civil and criminal cases that are appealed from the Courts of Common Pleas in the Commonwealth's 67 counties. The Superior Court consists of 15 judges who serve 10-year terms. The president judge of Superior Court is elected to a five-year term by his or her colleagues.

A huge volume of appeals flows to Superior Court from the trial courts. Generally, appeals are heard by panels of three judges sitting in Philadelphia, Harrisburg or Pittsburgh. The court often is the final arbiter of legal disputes. Although the Supreme Court may grant a petition for review of a Superior Court decision, most such petitions are denied and the ruling of the Superior Court stands.

Superior Court judges are Kate Ford Elliott, President Judge, Correale F. Stevens, John L. Musmanno, John T. Bender, Mary Jane Bowes, Susan Peikes Gantman, Jack A. Panella, Christine L. Donohue, Jacqueline O. Shogan, Cheryl Lynn Allen, Robert A. Freedberg, John M. Cleland, Anne E. Lazarus, Sallie Updyke Mundy, Judith F. Olson, Paula F. Ott.

Annual Compensation for Superior Court judges is $175,923 and for the President Judge $181,349.

Senior Judges John T. J. Kelly Jr. Zoran Popovich, Stephen J. McEwen Jr. Robert E. Colville, Joseph A. Hudock, James J. Fitzgerald, III.

The Commonwealth Court is one of Pennsylvania's two statewide intermediate appellate courts. This court, which was established in 1968, is unlike any other state court in the nation. Its jurisdiction generally is limited to legal matters involving state and local government and regulatory agencies. Litigation typically focuses on such subjects as banking, insurance and utility regulation and laws affecting taxation, land use, elections, labor practices and workers compensation. Commonwealth Court also acts as a court of original jurisdiction, or a trial court, when lawsuits are filed by or against the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Court is made up of nine judges who serve 10-year terms. The president judge is chosen by his or her colleagues for a five-year term. The court generally decides cases in three-judge panels and sits in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh.

The Commonwealth Court judges are Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter, President Judge, Bernard L. McGinley, Dan Pellegrini, Renee Cohn Jubelirer, Robert Simpson, Jr. Mary Hannah Leavitt, P. Kevin Brobson, Patricia A. McCullough. Annual compensation for Commonwealth judges is $181,349 and for the President Judge $175,923

Senior Judges are Rochelle S. Friedman, James R. Kelley, Jim Flaherty, Barry F. Feudale, Keith B. Quigley.

The Courts of Common Pleas are the trial courts of Pennsylvania. Major civil and criminal cases are heard in these courts. Judges also decide cases involving adoption, divorce, child custody, abuse, juvenile delinquency, estates, guardianships, charitable organizations and many other matters.

The Common Pleas courts are organized into 60 judicial districts, most of which encompass a single county. Seven judicial districts, in lightly populated areas of the Commonwealth, include two counties. Judges of the Common Pleas courts are elected to 10-year terms. A president judge and a court administrator serve in each judicial district.

The judges of the Common Pleas courts in Allegheny County are Senior Judge Gerard M. Bigley, Kelly Eileen Bigley, Edward J. Borkowski, Cathleen Cawood Bubash, David R. Cashman, Kim Berkeley Clark, Robert J. Colville, Guido A. De Angelis, Michael A. Della Vecchia, Kathleen A. Durkin, Kim E. Eaton, Thomas E. Flaherty, Ronald W. Folino, Judith L. A. Friedman, Senior Judge Robert C. Gallo, Kathryn M. Hens-Greco, Alan David Hertzberg, Robert P. Horgos, Joseph M. James, Robert A. Kelly, Beth A. Lazzara, Administrative Judge - Orphans' Court Division Frank J. Lucchino, Paul F. Lutty Jr. Donald E. Machen, Jeffrey A. Manning, Anthony M. Mariani, Lee J. Mazur, Michael E. McCarthy, President Judge Donna Jo McDaniel, John T. McVay Jr. Kathleen R. Mulligan, Lester G. Nauhaus, W. Terrence O'Brien, Timothy Patrick O'Reilly, Lawrence J. O'Toole, Judith F. Olson, Jill E. Rangos, Kevin G. Sasinoski, Administrative Judge Civil Division Eugene B. Strassburger, III, Randal B. Todd, Christine A. Ward, David N. Wecht, Senior Judge R. Stanton Wettick, Jr., Joseph K. Williams, III, Dwayne D. Woodruff, John A. Zottola. Annual compensation for Judge on Common Pleas Court in Allegheny County is $161,850.

Currently there are only two Republicans on the Common Pleas Court, Judith Olson, now running for Superior Court and Jill Rangos. Seven candidates, all Democrats, are vying for five open seats on Common Pleas Court.

The Minor Courts, also called the "special courts," are the first level of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System. Except in Philadelphia, these courts are presided over by magisterial district judges who decide small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic cases and minor criminal matters. There are 546 magisterial district judges based in community courts throughout the Commonwealth. These judges are not required to be lawyers, but they must undergo legal training and attend continuing legal education programs. Annual compensation for Magisterial District Judge is $80.927

Upper St. Clair in served by Magistrate Robert C. Wyda District 05-2-20 in Bethel Park and Constable John A. Pantelis.

Retention Elections What are retention elections and why do we have them? Retention is a nonpolitical method of reelecting Pennsylvania judges. When first selected for full terms of office, justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the statewide Superior and Commonwealth courts and judges of county Common Pleas Courts are elected by voters in partisan elections. After serving initial ten-year terms, those jurists who seek reelection do so through nonpartisan "retention elections" which are intended to be politically neutral and do not require judges to engage in campaigning against other candidates. Retention is specifically designed to keep judges out of the political fray while at the same time holding them accountable to the voters based on their overall records and performance in office. The intent is to provide a fair and nonpartisan way for the public to judge its judges. In retention elections, judicial candidates do not participate in spring primary elections. Their names appear on the ballot only in November general elections. Voters are asked to vote "yes" or "no" on whether to reelect each judge seeking retention. The names of the candidates are listed on a separate area of the ballot, apart from individuals running for executive and legislative offices. No political affiliation is listed for retention candidates.

Retention does not apply to magisterial district judges. Those judges, who hear minor criminal cases and small claims cases, are elected to six-year terms and must be reelected to each new term in partisan contests. In Philadelphia, judges of the Municipal Court and Traffic Court also serve six-year terms, but are reelected by retention.

The Pennsylvania Bar Association seeks to help voters in judicial elections by rating incumbent judges or candidates who are on the statewide ballot. Candidates are rated either "recommended" or "not recommended." Those recommendations are based on investigations by the bar association's Judicial Evaluation Commission, which reviews the record of each retention candidate and interviews lawyers and others familiar with that judge's work and temperament. Some county bar associations provide similar ratings on Common Pleas Court judges in their counties.