Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts is the only statewide organization working exclusively to improve our state courts. Our mission is to ensure that Pennsylvania has fair and impartial courts that serve all Pennsylvanians.

PMC is led by Executive Director Lynn A. Marks; Deputy Director, Shira J. Goodman; and Administrator, Terri McMonagle Rogers. We also are fortunate to be joined by volunteer interns from local universities and law schools during the year. An able Board of Directors that includes lawyers and nonlawyers from across Pennsylvania guides our work. Our Board Chair is Bob Heim, and our Chair Emeritus is the Honorable Edmund B. Spaeth, Jr.

To contact PMC, call 215-569-1150 or send us an email.

Our work is concentrated on the following goals:

• Helping court users understand the court system;
• Reforming the judicial selection system;
• Improving the jury system and court administration;
• Serving as a court watchdog, with special attention to reforming judicial disciplinary procedure;
• Combating bias in the courts; and
• Educating the public about the courts.

PMC does not provide legal advice or represent clients in court or other legal proceedings.

PMC’s founders were motivated to create a new organization by a 1988 report by the Pennsylvania Judicial Reform Commission. This blue-ribbon panel of civic leaders, public officials, legal professionals and members of the judiciary commissioned by Governor Casey and chaired by then-Superior Court Judge Phyllis W. Beck, found that confidence in the judiciary was appallingly low, in large part due to the system of electing judges, including the fundraising that went along with it. This, combined with several scandals in the late 1980s involving Pennsylvania judges, led to the formation of PMC.
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PMC is the only statewide organization working exclusively to improve Pennsylvania's courts. The courts affect all of our lives.

We work for systemic change, but we also address individual concerns to ensure that our courts are properly serving the public.
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2011 PMC and PMCAction Annual Report

PMC Educational Video on Merit Selection

JudgesOnMerit.org

Click here to visit our blog devoted to merit selection efforts in Pennsylvania.

Judicial Discipline System

To read PMC's Report and recommendations for improving the Judicial Discipline System, click here.

The Court System

For questions about your local courts and court procedures, use our county court finder to find contact information for the offices who can best answer your questions.

Navigating -- or Getting Through -- the Pennsylvania Courts

For questions about what happens during a court case, court procedures, and the litigation process, visit our new Guide for Court Users.

Jury Duty

For questions about jury duty, visit our jury duty guide.  To find your county jury services office, click here.

The Status of Merit Selection Efforts in Pennsylvania

To learn about efforts and progress toward changing the way we select judges in Pennsylvania, visit our merit selection page.

Upcoming Judicial Elections in PA

To learn more about the current judicial elections in Pennsylvania, visit our Current Pennsylvania Elections page.

PMCAction.org

Click here to visit the website of our affiliated organization, PMCAction.org

We'd like to hear from you.

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