Wolf adds more common pleas judges

(Harrisburg) — Governor Tom Wolf this week signed legislation increasing the number of  judges at the common pleas court level in Pennsylvania. 

The bill amends the Judicial Code to add  8 more common pleas court judges over 7 judicial districts in the state.

Even though the bill passed by healthy margins, the only debate was in the House by lawmakers urging a no vote.

They included Representative Daryl Metcalfe, who said he’s been trying to determine the reasoning behind adding new judges.

“When we ask questions on how this was determined, whether or not a judge was needed, it wasn’t determined by any information that could be shown to us related to caseloads or types of cases or population changes in those areas and in those counties,” he said.

The bill passed the House 112 to 75, and 49 to 1 in the Senate.