The Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission
for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness
In March 2022, Commission staff submitted several letters to legislators in support of bills that would make jury service less onerous. On March 14, the Commission submitted to Pennsylvania House Continue ReadingCommission Supports Legislation to Promote More Equitable Access to Jury Service
On March 14, 2022, the Commission submitted to Pennsylvania House and Senate committee chairs its letter in support of legislation that would establish a statewide rape kit tracking system, to Continue ReadingCommission Supports Legislation to Establish a Statewide Rape Kit Tracking System
On March 10, 2022, Commission members convened remotely to review the initiatives of each of the Commission’s six Committees and discuss new business.
On February 14, 2022, the Commission submitted formal comments to the PA Supreme Court Criminal Procedural Rules Committee, in response to its publication of proposed amendments to existing state court Continue ReadingCommission Submits Comments to Court re Proposed State Criminal Procedural Rules Governing the Appointment of Counsel, the Purpose of Bail, and Others
On February 2, 2022, the Commission submitted formal comments to the ACBA’s Administration of Justice Sub-Committee, in response to their publication of proposed amendments to the Allegheny County Rules of Continue ReadingCommission Submits Comments to ACBA re Proposed Amendments to Local Rules Governing Bail, Probation and Incarceration
On January 27, 2022, the Committee distributed a letter and a one-page graphic summary containing the results of its survey on PA juror demographics to all Pennsylvania Judicial Court Administrators. Continue ReadingCommission Distributes Letter, Infographic re Results of PA Juror Demographics Survey to Court Administrators
On December 1, 2021, Executive Director Lisette McCormick submitted her article, “The Case for Jury Inclusiveness and Reform: The Pennsylvania Story,” to the American Bar Association (“ABA”), for publication in Continue ReadingABA Judges’ Journal Publishes Executive Director McCormick’s Article on Jury Inclusiveness in PA
In November 2021, the Commission distributed to Pennsylvania’s federal district courts and state court administrators electronic and hard copies of its informational pamphlets on jury service. These pamphlets were produced Continue ReadingCommission Distributes Jury Service Pamphlet for LEP Individuals to PA’s Federal, State Courts
On October 19, 2021, the Commission distributed to bar associations, President Judges, and advocacy organizations its annual one-page summary of Pennsylvania attorney demographic data. The data is collected and reported Continue ReadingCommission Distributes Annual One-Page Summary of PA Attorney Demographics
On October 11, 2021, Staff Attorney Brendan Bertig’s article, entitled “Pushing Forward: The Need for State-Based Protections Post-Bostock,” was published in Houston’s Legacy, the quarterly publication of the Pennsylvania Bar Continue ReadingPBA Publishes Staff Attorney Bertig’s Article re LGBTQ Rights in PA