Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Litigation Blogs -> The Gavel
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense
Find a Local Lawyer
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402
Litigation
: The GavelAmid Calls for Resignation, Justice Orie Melvin Vows to Fight Charges
By Matthew Berg
Pennsylvania Justice Joan Orie Melvin?s recent indictment on allegations she used taxpayer-funded staff to complete political campaign work may help end judicial elections, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial.
The indictment ?represents a new low for Pennsylvania?s highest court,? the editorial stated. It concluded:
“That?s always a risk in politics, which is why Pennsylvania should end partisan judicial elections that require candidates to amass campaign war chests. The Melvin case has become Exhibit No. 1 on the need to enact the judicial merit-selection legislation pending in Harrisburg.”
According to a Philadelphia Inquirer article, Justice Orie Melvin has vowed to fight the charges. ?I entered a plea of not guilty today and I will vigorously defend these politically motivated charges,? she said.
The Philadelphia Bar Association, meanwhile, has called for Justice Orie Melvin to resign immediately. ?The charges against Justice Orie Melvin cast a shadow on the court that compromises the ability for justice to be dispensed fairly,? said John E. Savoth, the association?s chancellor. ?We cannot have a sitting justice who has been indicted.?
A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial echoed those calls, saying Justice Orie Melvin should resign voluntarily, ?in service to the Pennsylvanians who elected her.?
Finally, Professor Bruce Ledewitz, who teaches at Duquesne University School of Law, also said in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article that Justice Orie Melvin should resign so the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is not hamstrung. He explained that without Justice Orie Melvin, the court will be deadlocked 3-3 on partisan and ideological lines, and unable to reverse lower court decisions.
For more about the case, see Gavel Grab.
Full post as published by The Gavel on May 21, 2012 (boomark / email).
"Justice Joan Orie Melvin to step away from state Supreme Court to fight charges"
"Justice Joan Orie Melvin to step away from state Supreme Court to fight charges": Paula Reed Ward of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a news update that begins, "State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin this morning informed the court that she will voluntarily recuse from all duties because nine criminal counts will be filed against her today...
"Justice Joan Orie Melvin to fight charges"
"Justice Joan Orie Melvin to fight charges": Paula Reed Ward has this article today in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The newspaper also contains an article headlined "A sudden halt to stellar career" and an editorial entitled "Justice on ice: Orie Melvin should resign to make the court whole...
Justice Joan Orie Melvin to step away from state Supreme Court to fight charges
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin this morning informed the court that she will voluntarily recuse from all duties because nine criminal counts will be filed against her today...
"Melvin to soon learn fate"
"Melvin to soon learn fate": Today's edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review contains an article that begins, "An Allegheny County grand jury investigating state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin will hear testimony this morning as a deadline on recommending charges nears...
"State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin expected to be charged today"
"State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin expected to be charged today": In today's edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Paula Reed Ward has an article that begins, "State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin is expected to be charged today as a result of a grand jury investigation looking into improper campaign activity, according to a source familiar with the investigation...
"DA charges Sen. Orie, aide to Justice Melvin; Accused of using state resources for campaigning"
"DA charges Sen. Orie, aide to Justice Melvin; Accused of using state resources for campaigning": The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a news update that begins, "The Allegheny County District Attorney's office today filed criminal charges against state Sen...
Anna Nicole Smith's Legal Troubles
Court cases and legal issues related to Anna Nicole Smith
Katrina Victims See Justice, Ruling Paves the Way for Class Actions
Katrina Victims See Justice Ruling Paves the Way for Class Actions
Hurricane Ike
Gulf Coast Residents Fight for Compensation
Fire Chief Whistleblower
City of DuPont agrees to $72,000 resignation and severance settlement.
Bell Canada
alleging wrongful charging for long distance phone calls
Automated Calls
Voice Mail Broadcasting Corp. pays $180,000 FTC settlement for telemarketing violations.
AT&T International Roaming Charges, AT&T lawsuit
AT&T Faces International Roaming Charges Lawsuit
#1 Online Legal Resource
On 08-25 at 15:46PM
Acute perpendicular parking #NYPD #NYFD
On 08-18 at 22:18PM
Parallel parking gone bad. Too much gas UES NYC
On 08-18 at 21:41PM
UES NYC
On 08-18 at 21:25PM
Twitter suspends journalist critical of broadcast partner's coverage on dubious grounds @guyadams #nbcfail #twitterfail
On 07-30 at 17:57PM
Model example of 1st Amendment suppression by the People of New York City's Michael Bloomberg #OWS #NYPD
On 07-12 at 21:07PM
AG Holder lackadaisical on Operation in our Sites domain name seizures & RIAA lobbied free speech suppression @dajaz1
On 06-08 at 22:44PM
Why is the Catholic Church going to court over Obama contraception policy? @NewYorker commentary
On 05-31 at 10:08AM
Monks sue Louisiana for right to sell caskets made from forrest destroyed by Katrina
On 05-31 at 07:47AM
Are the abortion ultrasound laws headed for the Supreme Court?
On 05-15 at 21:52PM
 |
|
Contact Us | About Us | Celebrity Law Blog |
Our Partners | Disclaimer
| Law Blog Directory
| Law Jobs
| Law Tweets
| Oil Spill Video
All original material © 1999-2011 by USLaw.com. All other material, including Blog Directory feed content, are © by their respective copyright holders. |