The Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania met on February 5th to select officers for the year. We are pleased to announce Schmidt Kramer partner Scott Cooper was elected as chair.
Cooper and the other officers were selected unanimously. Cooper was appointed by then-Governor Tom Wolf as a lawyer member of the Judicial Conduct Board back in 2021. His term on the board ends on July 29th, 2025.
The other officers who were elected to the board include:
- Sudhir Patel, Esquire – Vice Chair
- The Honorable Risa Vetri Ferman – Secretary
- President Judge Emeritus (ret) Susan Peikes Gantman – Chair of the Budget Committee
- Marie Conley – Chair of the Personnel Committee
The board has a total of 12 members, including three lawyers, six people who are not lawyers, and three judges. It is an independent body in the state’s Judicial Branch.
Half the members of the board are appointed by the Supreme Court and the other half are appointed by the Governor. Board members serve for four years.
The Judicial Conduct Board came into existence after a constitutional amendment was passed in 1993. The board’s purpose is to review, investigate and prosecute judicial misconduct complaints.
When a majority vote determines there is probable cause to believe judicial misconduct occurred, the Board can file a complaint. The Board is then charged with proving the charges by a standard of clear and convincing evidence. The Court of Judicial Discipline determines if the Board met the burden of proof and if any sanctions should be levied.
Congratulations on your election, Scott!