Montgomery Bar Association Judiciary Committee Announces Recommendations
for the 2011 Elections

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Daniel J. Clifford
Robert J. Edelmayer
Richard P. Haaz
Henry J. Schireson

RECOMMENDED

John C. Armstrong
Cheryl Lynn Austin
Maureen Claire Coggins
Michael P. Gottlieb
Adam D. Zucker

RECOMMENDED FOR RETENTION

The Honorable Arthur R. Tilson
The Honorable Thomas C. Branca

The Judiciary Committee of the Montgomery Bar Association is charged with interviewing and rating candidates for the position of Judge on the Court of Common Pleas. The Judiciary Committee is composed of thirty-four lawyers of diverse background, ages, practices and geographic areas of Montgomery County, elected by the members of the Bar Association which numbers more than 2,100 county lawyers. The collective legal experience of the Committee members is nearly 1,000 years.

Each candidate is evaluated individually and not as compared to other candidates. The purpose of the ratings is to educate the public as to how the candidates’ peers view them as potential judges, and to assist voters in their evaluation of judicial candidates on election day.

The criteria considered by the Committee to rate NEW judicial candidates are:

A. Integrity.
B. Good moral character.
C. Industry.
D. Good health.
E. Legal ability.
F. Bench trial, jury trial, or evidentiary hearing experience.
G. Judicial temperament including patience, courtesy, compassion, impartiality, humility, even temper, and sense of fairness.

Each candidate submits to the Committee a biographical summary of their legal experience, background, and community service. These submissions are carefully reviewed and considered, and the personal references provided by the candidates on their qualifications are checked. The full Committee then interviews each candidate in person, after which the Committee discusses and votes on the rating. The Bar Association considers this procedure to be an important public service.  

The Committee is charged with the duty to rate a candidate Recommended, Highly Recommended or Not Recommended.

The recommendation awarded the candidate is not intended to rate a candidate’s ability as a practicing attorney at law.

In the case of judges running for retention the Committee makes a recommendation for retention or not for retention.

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