Kevin Dougherty | |
---|---|
Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court | |
Assumed office January 4, 2016 | |
Preceded by | Ronald D. Castille |
Personal details | |
Born | Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S. | May 19,1962
Political party | Democratic |
Relatives | Johnny Dougherty (brother) |
Education | Temple University (BA) Antioch School of Law (JD) |
Kevin M. Dougherty (born May 19,1962) [1] is a justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. [2] [3] Before his election in 2015, [4] Dougherty had served on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia since 2001, [5] serving as an administrative judge of the trial division. [6] His brother is convicted former labor leader John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty,who was the top fundraiser for his 2015 campaign.
Dougherty grew up in South Philadelphia in what he described as a "very blue-collar,working-class neighborhood",and was the first from his family to graduate college,working three part-time jobs as he attended Temple. [7] He graduated from the Antioch School of Law in Washington,D.C. in 1988,and is a graduate of Temple University. [7]
He was appointed to the bench by Governor Tom Ridge in 2001,and was elected to the first of two 10-year terms later that year, [5] [7] receiving the most vote among 14 candidates. After his election,he requested to be assigned to the family division,where he felt he could have the most significant societal impact, [8] and has prided himself on helping families and children during his judicial career. [9] Dougherty became Supervising Judge of the Juvenile Division of Philadelphia Family Court in 2003. [8] [9] There he implemented reforms like easing access to the court and what he called a "changing of the culture" among a judiciary of mostly older judges. He received 78 percent of the vote when he ran for retention in 2011,and received support from both Democrats and Republicans. [9]
He ran as a Democrat for Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2015, [10] and was part of a Democratic sweep of all three court vacancies,along with David Wecht,and Christine Donohue. They defeated Republican candidates Judith Olsen,Michael George,and Anne Covey,in a campaign that saw more than $15 million in donations from special interests. [4] Dougherty received a "recommended" rating from the Pennsylvania Bar Association,and received strong support from organized labor groups, [5] in part due to Dougherty's relationship with his brother,former Philadelphia labor leader John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty,who was convicted of fraud and embezzlement in 2023. [11] [12] His brother was his campaign's top fundraiser, [5] raising more than $3.5 million. [12]
Cyril Harrison Wecht was an American forensic pathologist. He was president of both the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American College of Legal Medicine,and headed the board of trustees of the American Board of Legal Medicine. Wecht served as County Commissioner and Allegheny County Coroner and Medical Examiner,serving the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. He was perhaps best known for his criticism of the Warren Commission's findings concerning the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Russell H. Diamond is an American politician and businessman from Pennsylvania. Following a string of unsuccessful runs for various offices,he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 102nd District in 2014.
William Henry Stanton was an attorney,editor,politician and judge. He served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district,elected to fill the vacancy when Winthrop Welles Ketcham resigned and serving for three months from December 1876 to early March 1877. He was previously editor of the Scranton Daily Times until 1872.
Dwayne Donzell Woodruff is a judge and former professional American football player who played twelve seasons as a cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers,where he accumulated 37 interceptions after being selected in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft. As a rookie,he won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl XIV over the Los Angeles Rams. Outside of football,Woodruff has a J.D. degree and is a common pleas judge in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh),Pennsylvania.
Statewide primary elections for various state offices were held in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on May 15,2007. Pennsylvania's general elections were then held statewide on November 6,2007.
Pennsylvania held statewide municipal elections on November 3,2009,to fill a number of judicial positions and to allow judicial retention votes. The necessary primary elections were held on May 19,2009.
John J. "Johnny Doc" Dougherty is a former labor leader in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. He was the business manager of the powerful IBEW Local 98 and a prominent political figure who helped numerous Democratic candidates get elected by directing donations and volunteers. In 2021,he was convicted of fraud and resigned as business manager of Local 98. In 2023,he was convicted of 70 counts of embezzlement for stealing funds from the union.
Mary Beth Buchanan (née Kotcella) is the former United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She was nominated by George W. Bush on September 5,2001,and confirmed by the United States Senate on September 14,2001.
Pennsylvania held statewide elections on November 8,2011,to fill judicial positions and allow judicial retention votes. The necessary primary elections were held on May 17,2011.
Bobby Henon is an American former politician. He was a Democratic member of the Philadelphia City Council from 2012 until 2022.
Edward James "Ed" Neilson is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. In April 2012,he won a special election to represent the 169th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In May 2014 he won a special election to serve as an at-large member of Philadelphia City Council replacing outgoing councilmember Bill Green. In August 2015,he won a special election to represent the 174th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court elections were held on November 3,2015 to elect three justices to fill vacancies on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The seats were won by Kevin Dougherty,David Wecht,and Christine Donohue,all Democrats,resulting in a 5-2 Democratic majority.
David Norman Wecht is an American attorney and jurist,who has served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania since 2016. Prior to his election in 2015,Wecht had served as a judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
Christine L. Donohue is a justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Prior to her election to that court in 2015,she was an elected member of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania,a seat she had held since 2008. She had also performed nearly three decades of service as a trial lawyer and litigator in Allegheny County,Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania held statewide elections on November 3,2015,to fill judicial positions,to fill a vacancy in the Pennsylvania State Senate,to allow judicial retention votes,and to fill numerous county,local and municipal offices.
Stephen S. Goss was an American jurist who served as judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals.
Paul Kevin Brobson is a justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In 2009,he was elected to serve as a judge on the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania,where he served until 2022.
Pennsylvania held statewide elections on November 7,2017,to fill judicial positions on the Supreme Court,Superior Court,and the Commonwealth Court,to allow judicial retention votes,and to fill numerous county,local and municipal offices.
The 2021 Pennsylvania elections were held on November 2,2021,to fill judicial positions on the Supreme Court,Superior Court,and Commonwealth Court,to allow judicial retention votes,and to fill numerous county,local and municipal offices.
The 2023 Pennsylvania elections took place on November 7,2023,to fill judicial positions,allow judicial retention votes,and fill numerous county,local and municipal offices,the most prominent being the Mayor of Philadelphia. The necessary primary elections were held on May 16,2023. In addition,special elections for legislative vacancies could be held at various times in 2023.