Our Purpose
The purpose of the Commission for Fairness And Justice is to promote fairness and equal application of the law for all in Pennsylvania. The Commission fulfills this purpose by:
- Implementing the recommendations from the 2003 study by the Supreme Court Committee on Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System (the “Committee”);
- Investigating and implementing new initiatives that may not have been addressed by the Committee;
- Raising both public and professional awareness of the impact of race, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability on the fair delivery of justice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania;
- Suggesting ways to reduce or eliminate such bias or invidious discrimination within all branches of government and within the legal profession; and
- Increasing public confidence in the fairness of all three branches of government in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Latest News
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PCFJ Celebrates Supreme Court Decision Affirming Parentage by Intent
Via press release on Monday, April 7, 2025, the Commission celebrated the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s landmark ruling in Glover…
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Commission Conducts Dynamic Quarterly Meeting
Via press release on March 27, 2025, the Pennsylvania Commission for Fairness & Justice detailed its dynamic virtual quarterly meeting,…
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PCFJ Joins Bipartisan Call for Increased Indigent Defense Funding in PA
Via press release on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the Commission detailed Executive Director Shields’ participation in the “Fund PA Public…
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Commission Submits Comments to Court on Latest Round of Proposed Criminal Rules re Legal Financial Obligations (“LFOs”)
On March 25, 2025, the Commission submitted comments on a re-published proposal by the PA Supreme Court’s Criminal Procedural Rules…
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Commission Supports MidPenn Legal’s Successful Motion to Publish Pennsylvania Superior Court’s Opinion to Uphold Language Access Rights
Via press release on January 23, 2025, the Commission celebrated the decision of the Pennsylvania Superior Court, issued on January…
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Morning Call Newspaper Publishes E.D. Shields’ Article on the Need for Juror Mental Health Supports
On November 30, 2024, The Morning Call, a Lehigh-Valley-based newspaper, published Executive Director Shields’ article detailing her experience attending a…
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Commission Distributes Model Juror Mental Health Pamphlet to Judicial Districts Across PA
Via press release on November 22, 2024, the Commission detailed the distribution of its newly published pamphlet on juror mental…