PRIOR PASSAGE - NONE
PRINTER'S NO. 1621
No. 1300 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY CORMAN, MADIGAN, HESS, AFFLERBACH, SHUMAKER AND
SHAFFER, OCTOBER 17, 1989
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 17, 1989
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth
2 of Pennsylvania, providing for the selection of justices and
3 judges of the Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Courts from
4 established judicial districts.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby resolves as follows:
7 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of
8 Pennsylvania is proposed in accordance with Article XI:
9 That sections 2, 3, 4 and 11 of Article V be amended to read:
10 § 2. Supreme Court.
11 The Supreme Court (a) shall be the highest court of the
12 Commonwealth and in this court shall be reposed the supreme
13 judicial power of the Commonwealth;
14 (b) shall consist of seven justices, to be elected from a
15 minimum of five judicial districts which shall be established by
16 law, one of whom shall be the Chief Justice; and
17 (c) shall have such jurisdiction as shall be provided by
18 law.
1 § 3. Superior Court.
2 The Superior Court shall be a statewide court, and shall
3 consist of the number of judges, which shall be not less than
4 [seven] 15 judges, to be elected from a minimum of five judicial
5 districts which shall be established by law, and have such
6 jurisdiction as shall be provided by this Constitution or by the
7 General Assembly. One of its judges shall be the president
8 judge.
9 § 4. Commonwealth Court.
10 The Commonwealth Court shall be a statewide court, and shall
11 consist of the number of judges, which shall be not less than
12 nine judges to be elected from a minimum of five judicial
13 districts which shall be established by law, and have such
14 jurisdiction as shall be provided by law. One of its judges
15 shall be the president judge.
16 § 11. Judicial districts; boundaries.
17 [The] (a) Except for the judicial districts fixed by law
18 pursuant to sections 2, 3 and 4 which shall be fixed by law, the
19 number and boundaries of judicial districts shall be changed by
20 the General Assembly only with the advice and consent of the
21 Supreme Court.
22 (b) The number of justices of the Supreme Court and the
23 number of judges of the Superior Court and the Commonwealth
24 Court elected from each judicial district fixed by law pursuant
25 to sections 2, 3 and 4 shall provide every resident of the
26 Commonwealth with approximately equal representation on a court.
27 (c) The General Assembly shall establish by law:
28 (1) The judicial districts from which justices of the
29 Supreme Court and judges of the Superior Court and the
30 Commonwealth Court are elected.
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1 (2) A transition to an appellate court judiciary elected
2 from judicial districts.
3 (3) The effect of set judicial districts upon
4 eligibility to seek retention election.
5 (4) Residency qualification for election or appointment
6 to the appellate court judiciary.
7 (5) The order in which judicial districts shall elect
8 justices of the Supreme Court and judges of the Superior
9 Court and the Commonwealth Court.
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