Pa's Appellate Courts

Pennsylvania's appellate Superior and Commonwealth courts both play a role in the state court system. Both courts work to determine if errors were made at the trial court level, but handle different types of cases. Their judges both serve a 10-year term, up to age 75. The terms of four Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and two Pennsylvania Superior Court judges will expire on Jan. 3, 2022. Additionally, one seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court is vacant. Commonwealth Court judges Anne Covey, Mary Hannah Leavitt, and Renee Cohn Jubelirer and Superior Court judges John Bender and Mary Jane Bowes must stand for retention election on Nov. 2, 2021, in order to remain on the bench. The filing deadline for judges seeking retention was Jan. 4, 2021. Two seats are up for partisan election on November 2, 2021. One seat is on the Pennsylvania Superior Court and is vacant. The other seat is on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court and is held by Judge Andrew Crompton heading into the election. A primary is scheduled for both seats on May 18, 2021. The filing deadline for regular election candidates is March 9, 2021.