Legal News

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Judge Charged with Nine Criminal Counts
Download PDF
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

On Friday, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvil was charged with nine criminal counts over using her taxpayer-funded staff on her campaign for a seat on the Supreme Court. She was suspended from the bench upon recommendation by a grand jury in Common Pleas Court in Allegheny County in Western Pennsylvania.

A member of a high profile political family of Pennsylvania Joan is the third sister to be charged of corruption. Another sister, State Senator Jane Orie, who used to serve as majority whip, was convicted for using her taxpayer-funded legislative staff to help her in her campaign. Another sister, Janine, would be facing trial on August 13 for using her sisters’ judicial and legislative staffs to campaign for Orie Melvin.

A lawyer for the accused judge said that she had recused herself from all her judicial duties but had no intention to resign. The lawyer said that the Orie sisters were being politically targeted and he said “The justice denies any criminal wrongdoing and will vigorously defend these politically motivated criminal charges.”

  
What
Where


Judicial staff members who had worked for the judge testified that they wrote her campaign speeches, maintained and looked after her database of campaign contributions and filled out questionnaires for endorsements from political action committees. They allege that they also attended political functions with Orie Melvin.

The criminal complaint against Melvin include charges like theft of services, criminal conspiracy to commit tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, official oppression and misapplication of entrusted property of the government.

The grand jury report posted on the website of the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office website mentions that the judge “directly and knowingly” used members of her judicial staff and her sister’s legislative staff to pursue a seat on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court in 2003 and 2009.

Get JD Journal in Your Mail

Subscribe to our FREE daily news alerts and get the latest updates on the most happening events in the legal, business, and celebrity world. You also get your daily dose of humor and entertainment!!




Well, its election year, and the scandals would keep on coming and being discovered.





 

RELEVANT JOBS

Associate Attorney

USA-PA-Exton

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY McKenna Snyder LLC, a law firm in Exton, PA has an immediate opening for an ex...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Sturgis

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Coldwater

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Insurance Defense Trial Attorney/ Senior Counsel

USA-CA-San Francisco

Job description Trial Attorney - Personal Injury Defense Full Job Description Hickey Smith ...

Apply now

BCG FEATURED JOB

Locations:

Keyword:



Search Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with ...

Apply Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-Carlsbad

Carlsbad office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with 4-...

Apply Now

Education Law and Public Entity Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law and public ent...

Apply Now

Most Popular

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

To Top