Three state Supreme Court justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht offered a glimpse behind their chambers doors Monday, September 8, 2025 as they seek voters’ approval in November to serve second terms.
Judges in Pennsylvania are elected to 10-year terms in partisan elections. Once in office, however, they stand for retention in “yes” or “no” referenda to serve subsequent terms.
The event, Behind the Ballot Fireside Chat: PA Supreme Court Retention Elections was co-sponsored by the court access group Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, the government watchdog Committee of Seventy and the Pennsylvania League of Women Voters.
In a “fireside chat” led by WHYY-FM’s Cherri Gregg, Donohue, Dougherty and Wecht spoke about judicial independence, the court’s deliberative process and and to dispel the idea that their decisions are politically driven.
In the last decade the Supreme Court has issued pivotal opinions allowing school districts to sue the governor and General Assembly over the state’s education funding system, allowing mail ballots with inconsequential flaws to be counted and upheld state emergency orders closing businesses to slow the spread of COVID-19.
As the third branch of government, the judiciary provides a check and balance on the legislative and executive branches to ensure that neither abuses its authority and interprets the state constitution, which defines and limits the powers of the other two branches.
To watch the PCN video: Behind the Ballot Fireside Chat: PA Supreme Court Retention Elections CLICK HERE
To read the Penn Capital Star article: State Supreme Court Justices Seeking Retention Speak About Judicial Independence in TV Forum CLICK HERE
Website: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania CLICK HERE
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth and the oldest appellate court in the nation.
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Justice Profiles:
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Justice Christine Donahue CLICK HERE
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Justice Kevin M. Dougherty CLICK HERE
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Justice David N. Wecht CLICK HERE
Additional Resources:
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Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts CLICK HERE
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Committee of Seventy CLICK HERE
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Pennsylvania League of Women Voters CLICK HERE
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PCNTVCLICK HERE
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Vote 411 (Personalized Election Information)CLICK HERE