var nTimer = setInterval(function() { Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. I am also active in my community, having volunteered with my parish St. Vincent de Paul Society, serving on the board as vice president of my neighborhood association (the Allegheny City Central Association), and am active in the Ancient Order of Hibernians (an Irish Catholic cultural organization). display: inline-block; background-color: grey; width: 250px; The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on May 18, 2021. .votebox-scroll-container { font-size: 12px; } ul.key-messages {list-style-type: none; margin-left:10px; } It seemed inevitable then, that he would follow in their footsteps. "You're a judge to make decisions, not make people happy," said Daffner, 44, of Green Tree, one of 13 candidates for Common Pleas judge. My career has allowed me to represent people who have been voiceless and disadvantaged during great parts of the economic or ethnic status. } PITTSBURGH, PA Former Allegheny County Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty has died from COVID-19 complications. clear: both; Current position: Partner with Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl, LLC, Family: wife of 18 years, Leah (Craft) Hemminger; three children, Grace, Isabelle and Lincoln, I believe in the importance of public service with humility and integrity. } margin: auto; Her extensive judicial experience covers a variety of substantive areas of law, and her responsibilities include overseeing appeals from the Philadelphia Municipal Court. font-weight: bold; I have a better understanding of who is dangerous and should be incarcerated, and who needs treatment without incarceration. } Lebanon and earned 13 varsity letters in three high school sports, attended Duke University in North Carolina, earning a degree in economics in 1984, said. .top_disclaimer { .votebox-scroll-container { .courts-header { font-size:150%;background-color:#334aab;color:white;} Title. I then became an Assistant Public Defender in Allegheny County and have benefitted from a varied experience with the office. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; .courts-container { background-color:#fcfcfc; width:100%; border:1px solid black;padding:5px;text-align:center;clear:both; } In the civil division, I have represented plaintiffs and defendants in cases concerned with consumer protection, real estate disputes, employment discrimination, and personal injury. display: block; Highly recommended by the Pennsylvania Bar Association. 2:11-cv-610 ) ) Chief Magistrate Judge Lisa Pupo ) Lenihan ) ) ECF No. How to run for office | I have been recognized by my peers as one of the best trial lawyers in America since 2006. .race_header.libertarian { Trying these cases has trained me to participate in highly charged and emotional situations - maintaining my compassion for people who are hurting, while fulfilling my responsibility to provide vigorous, well researched, and composed representation. I fight for rights of the underprivileged and underserved. However, I have dedicated my career to advocating in family court, where new Common Pleas judges are traditionally placed. 4) That support notably includes past opposition to conducting property assessments, and further efforts to obstruct them into . As the 49th Attorney General of Pennsylvania and as the Inspector General of Pennsylvania, I ran large government agencies, managing hundreds of people and multitudes of issues. I will use my programming experience to work with community groups in order to restore justice for all citizens, with things such as Zoom court appearances so that working people dont have to call off work and find better ways for people without attorneys to have access to the court system., Current practice area:Litigation, municipal, family law, elections, real estate, Past practice area:Litigation, municipal, zoning and land use, Current position:Allegheny County Solicitor, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 1999, Family: Wife, Melissa Gilmore Szefi; three children. Reform begins with judges that apply the law, have wisdom, exercise fairness, equal treatment, good temperament and respect. I also practiced in the orphans court early in my career. Past practice area: Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender; deputy attorney general, prosecuting child sexual abuse and child pornography. My strengths are my compassion, decisiveness, commitment to justice under the law for everyone, and work ethic. .key-messages li {margin-bottom: 10px;} Source. color: #0645ad; margin-bottom: .75em; I am a native Pittsburgher with a deeply diverse lived and professional experience who will bring all of it to the bench to preside over cases., Current practice area: Family Division and Criminal Division, Past practice area: Criminal court matters, Current position: Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Family: Married to Melissa Arnold; two sons, Elliot and Evan, two dogs, Cody and Daisy. I went to college at Thiel College. Death 22 Jun 1958 (aged 66) Burial. Past practice area: senior deputy attorney general criminal trial prosecution section, western region. @media (max-width:600px) { A public defender must "Speak for the voiceless, and bring justice to the dispossessed." A judge, however, must be the one to then *listen* for justice to be done. I have fought for the rights of folks who are injured, have disabilities, were discriminated against, and the unemployed. MENU Fund Finance Practice; Subscribe; Contacts width: 100%; Lebanon and earned 13 varsity letters in three high school sports, attended Duke University in North Carolina, earning a degree in economics in 1984, said. Flaherty, who grew up in Mt. Bruce said that I have established myself as the preeminent federal criminal defense attorney in this area. max-width: 600px; At this moment in time, the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County faces an unprecedented backlog of cases that have been on hold due to COVID-19. . Although there is a large slate of candidates this year, its not even close to the 1973 primary. if (typeof $ != 'undefined') { } top: 2px; Current position: Shareholder, Dickie, McCamey and Chilcote P.C. His death was announced on social media by his cousin, Pittsburgh attorney Shawn. Outside of the justice system, I have been active in the community for many years. .results_row.winner { I have represented thousands of clients to successfully navigate their legal problems. .panel-heading:hover { cursor: pointer;} At this point in my 30-year career, I would like to spend my last 14 years helping as many people as I possibly can. height: 56px; Past practice area: former Pennsylvania Supreme Court judicial clerk, Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance counsel. I have also experienced judges that lack one or more of the traits. } How to vote | .inner_percentage.Republican { Donate Today! I am an innovator who built a legal clinic that uniquely serves the needs of our regions young people. We need progress in our courts and our communities and, if elected, I will bring it., I have the education, courtroom experience, community service and awards, reputation among my peers, and temperament to be an excellent judge., Current practice area: General,Government Corporate, I want to use my 20 years of legal experience and experience as Allegheny County Controller to bring about meaningful judicial reform and upgrades to our 21st-century judicial system. Finally, I will continue to collaborate with community partners who are doing the real work on the ground in our neighborhoods and our communities and who are most familiar with the needs of the people accessing our justice system so that together we can achieve true systemic change.. A prominent civil lawyer who I met while appearing on the opposite side of a civil lawsuit called me a lawyers lawyer. These ratings are the gold star in the legal industry. left: 0; 33 Wilmer Flores-2B/3B SF. .image-candidate-thumbnail-wrapper .image-candidate-thumbnail { } div.oneoff-scrollbox.short { height:250px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } However, Mr. Flaherty turned his back on the Democratic Party in the fall of 2011. overflow: hidden; I have drafted court opinions for the Honorable Judge Bernard L. McGinley and the Commonwealth Court. Bio: Two-term incumbent who served as a Pittsburgh City Councilor for several East End neighborhoods before becoming mayor of Pittsburgh in 2014. line-height: 1.5em; From his work in more than 20 counties throughout western Pennsylvania, Jessel has gained a holistic, comprehensive understanding of our legal system. My 34 years of experience in successfully preparing and trying the most complex and life-altering cases, and in directing the teams involved in that endeavor, have provided me with the opportunity to research and present arguments regarding the effects that violence, mental health problems, poverty, trauma and addiction can have, not only on individuals, but on families, victims, and the neighborhoods in which they live. Mark is the son of Katy Flaherty and the late former Allegheny Commission Chairman and Commonwealth Court Judge Jim . } Age : 62. a[aria-expanded=false] .fa-chevron-down { display: none; } background-color: #db0000; .non_result_row div { float: right; display: table; 2023 first . 56 Jack Flaherty StL. } Upon graduation, I volunteered for the Allegheny County Neighborhood Legal Services program to work on landlord-tenant and unemployment cases. Therefore, I have direct real-world experience in treating non-violent offenders instead of warehousing them in prison. I am the only candidate that has worked closely with all three of the main participants in the criminal hustice system: victims, defendants and their families, and law enforcement. background: #4c4c4c; font-weight: 100; Personal LinkedIn Mark Patrick Flaherty (Republican Party, Democratic Party) ran for election for judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. Lebanon, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Monday, January 3, 2022, at St. Margaret Hospital from complications re For more information, each candidates website and Allegheny County Bar Association Judiciary Committee ratings are included as well. RICH FITZGERALD: 1) Has a Mechanical Engineering degree from CMU. I have practiced in each division during my career but have primarily been a criminal defense lawyer throughout my private practice, including accepting court appointments. Mark attended elementary school in Garnett and Osawatomie, KS before moving to . The first distinction I would point to is my life experience growing up the son of a Pittsburgh Public School teacher and a Teamster. I have over 10 years of experience with family law. lebanon not recommended at this time . Public policy. } position: absolute; I sat as judge of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court (presided over criminal, domestic violence, child sex assault, underage drinking, occasional homicide, traffic, housing, dog court, arraignments, set bail, issued warrants); as PA LCB Hearing Officer; the 1st Black to simultaneously chair Pittsburgh City Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustments (8 years); and am a mental health hearing officer for 26 years. Automatic bail review in criminal caseswhile magistrate judges set bail, common pleas judges should quickly review those decisions and make changes necessary to prevent citizens from languishing in jail pre-trial; An increase in the number of diversionary court programs and more inclusive admissions criteria for those programs, Strategies that focus on rehabilitation over incarceration should be the default for citizens interacting with the criminal justice system, Sentencing reforms that treat incarceration as a last resort., Current practice area: Magisterial District Judge, Shaler, Etna, Millvale and Reserve, Past practice area: Prosecutor (1987-2011) and Criminal Defense (2011-2018), University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 1986, Family: Married 34 years to Maureen Barrett; oldest of eight children and favorite uncle to 19 nephews and nieces, Allegheny County Bar Association Rating: highly recomended. I have a lifetime of public service providing free legal services for the poor, promoting justice with programs like the 100 Lawyer Program, Neighborhood Legal Services & Pennsylvania Legal Services; and helping shape mediation in our region with my past participation on the Federal Advisory Rules Committee. font-style: italic; U.S. Congress | I have spent the past 22 representing the accused in Allegheny County. He. } As the Chief Legal Officer for Allegheny County and director of the Allegheny County Law Department for the past nine years, and with 22 years of overall experience, I have engaged in the most diverse law practice in the county. I grew up poor. overflow-x: auto; background-color: grey; } padding-bottom: 5px; } Currently pending before the Court in this civil rights action is a Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) filed by Defendants Mark Patrick Flaherty, . overflow-y: hidden; div.oneoff-scrollbox.regular { height:400px; overflow:scroll; margin:20px; padding:10px; border:1px solid gray; } I want to be a judge so that I can create a space where everyone is treated fairly, given second chances where appropriate, and have all of their questions answered. a.communitylink { color:black; font-weight:bold; } If you come to my courtroom, you will be heard., Current practice area: Commercial and Civil Litigation. He was 59. Although there is a large slate of candidates this year, it's not even close to the 1973 primary. background-color: #f4f4f4; It was the first time the federal RICO statute was used to prosecute a violent street gang. This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. .large-date { text-align: center; margin-top: 30px; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600;} Vento's Pizza, home of 'Franco's Italian Army,' to close, Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. In his past career Mr. Flaherty was Director-Global Equity Trading at Aetna, Inc., Partner at Standish Mellon Asset Management Co. LLC, Director-Global Equity . A minimum donation of $15 gets you access to the downloadable spreadsheet of TDG's 2023 Dynasty Baseball Rankings and an invite to the new TDG Discord, where members can chat dynasty baseball with the Gurus, get early access to articles and rankings, find new leagues, and more! I have also served in the past as a judicial law clerk for three different common pleas court judges in both the criminal and civil divisions for approximately 30 years while maintaining a private practice. $('.showResponses').hide(); } .results_table_container { The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on May 18, 2021. Applied Statistics Computational Biology Machine Learning Genomics Bioinformatics. } width: 50px; Practiced law for 20 years in the areas of tax, finance, corporations, government. I am also passionate about my criminal justice reform and fair housing practice, and recently secured the release of an illegally-sentenced client from prison., Current practice area: Consumer Protection, Criminal Defense, Immigration, Personal Injury, Past practice area: I have been doing the same sorts of things for about twenty years now, Current position: Practicing in a two-attorney law firm, I would like to think that I am one of the best candidates, but that is up to the voters. Mark Flaherty, 40, is the son of former county commissioner and Commonwealth Court Judge Jim Flaherty, and a nephew of former county commissioner and Pittsburgh Mayor Pete Flaherty. I serve my community in my roles as the Diversity Director for Duquesne University School of Law, a Commissioner on the Allegheny County Human Relations Commission and a member of the newly formed Allegheny County Bar Association Ad hoc Committee to Examine Police Use of Force and Court Rules for Bail, Probation and Incarceration. I double majored at Westminster College while playing football all four years. (Eckstine) Watson (deceased). margin-bottom:16px; Because of this, it is essential that the nine new judges have a significant amount of actual trial experience. In this Public Service spot, Allegheny County Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty explains how the county's Division of Weights and Measures conducts inspection. .courts-container hr {background-color:#f0a236;padding-bottom:2px;}, Third Circuit Court of Appeals U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Previously, state representative), public interest law. Working on both sides of a trialas a public defender and a prosecutor - hes managed every aspect of a case from the investigatory stage through a jury verdict. I was born and raised here in Allegheny County attending the West Mifflin Public Schools. They have a puppy, Huey, Allegheny County Bar Association Rating: unqualified. .non_result_row { Further, I have experienced serving from the bench as an administrative judge during a six-year appointed term as chair of the civil service commission, and I have had to develop the ability to courteously and conscientiously hear cases and provide learned, well-researched decisions. As a. padding-left: 10px; I was the first in my family to graduate high school, the first to go to college and the only to go to law school. Current practice area: criminal and juvenile trial and defense litigation. 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