The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania has announced the election of Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt as its president judge.

Judge Leavitt succeeds Senior Judge Dan Pellegrini, whose term as president judge ended on Dec. 31, 2015. (Judge Bernard McGinley was elected interim president judge until the election on January 4th.) Judge Leavitt began her 15th year on the Commonwealth Court bench in January.

In the leadership role, President Judge Leavitt will oversee all administrative matters of the court, including budgeting, oversight of administrative offices, scheduling, special sessions, education and bench-bar interaction.

“I am pleased and honored to have been chosen by my colleagues to serve as president judge,” Judge Leavitt said. “With the help of our hard working judges and staff, I hope to be able to continue the great work and accomplishments that my predecessors have been able to achieve in serving the citizens of Pennsylvania.”

Judge Leavitt first was elected to the Commonwealth Court in 2001. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Classics from Connecticut College and a master’s degree in Classical Archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the Dickinson School of Law, where she was an editor of the Dickinson Law Review. Prior to serving on the bench, Judge Leavitt was chief counsel for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and a shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. Since 2014, she has served as Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Widener Law School. Judge Leavitt lives in Dauphin County.

Commonwealth Court, which is composed of nine judges, is one of two intermediate appellate courts in Pennsylvania. The court hears appeals of decisions involving the state or its administrative agencies, and original cases brought by or against the Commonwealth. It also hears appeals from Courts of Common Pleas involving the Commonwealth and local agencies.

More on the Commonwealth Court and its judges can be found at pacourts.us/commonwealth-court.

Original Press Release