The Superior Court of Pennsylvania will hold a special session in the city of Scranton, Lackawanna County, on Tues., March 11 and Wed., March 12, 2025. Session will convene at 9:30 a.m. both days at the Lackawanna County Courthouse, Courtroom #3, 2nd Floor, 200 N. Washington Avenue, Scranton, PA.
Serving on this special session panel will be Judge Mary Jane Bowes (presiding), Judge Judith Ference Olson and Judge Victor P. Stabile. Judges Bowes and Olson maintain chambers in Allegheny County and Judge Stabile in Dauphin County.
The Superior Court normally hears arguments on appeals in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but occasionally visits other locations around the Commonwealth for special sessions like this one, the purpose of which is to better acquaint Pennsylvanians with the process by which matters before our state appeals courts are considered and resolved.
The Superior Court was created in 1895 to assist the state Supreme Court in disposing of a burgeoning number of appeals in the growing Commonwealth. As such, the Superior Court exercises general jurisdiction, statewide, over all appeals from decisions of the state trial courts with the exception of death penalty appeals (heard by the Supreme Court) and cases brought against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its political subdivisions, such as school districts and municipalities (heard by the Commonwealth Court).
Consequently, the Superior Court is one of the busiest appellate courts in the nation, docketing over 100,000 filings per year and deciding over 8000 individual appeals involving civil, criminal, domestic relations and orphans’ court claims. In providing a window on the work of the Court, this special session offers an exceptional opportunity for area students, as well as members of the public in Lackawanna and neighboring counties, to learn about the service of the judiciary to all Pennsylvanians. More information about the Superior Court is available at www.pacourts.us.
Original source can be found here.