PENNSYLVANIA RECORD

Pennsylvania’s Court of Judicial Discipline has granted a motion for a continuance in the

case of indicted sitting Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin.

In a one-page order filed June 25, the CJD granted the motion filed by the Judicial Conduct Board to continue Orie Melvin’s hearing, originally scheduled for June 29.

The order, signed by Judge Robert E.J. Curran, does not specify when the hearing is now expected to take place.

Orie Melvin was charged last month with allegedly using her legislative staff and court employees to work on her campaign for a seat on the state Supreme Court, which she subsequently won.

The jurist was charged with nine criminal counts by the district attorney of Allegheny County, located in western Pennsylvania.

Less than a week after the charges were announced, Orie Melvin was suspended by the Court of Judicial Discipline.

The other Supreme Court justices also voted to suspend her from the bench pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

A hearing took place in Harrisburg earlier this month before a CJD panel, but the matter of whether or not Orie Melvin should or should not receive her paycheck during her suspension was not resolved.

She is currently being paid.

The justice’s sister, Jane Orie, a former senator from western Pennsylvania, was convicted in March of five felonies and nine misdemeanor counts relating to similar crimes of which Orie Melvin is now being accused.

Jane Orie was sentenced earlier this month to 2-1/2-to-10 years in state prison.

Another relative, Janine Orie, who works as an aide to Orie Melvin, is also facing charges that she directed court staffers to perform political work on the taxpayers’ dime.