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Lori Dumas Sworn in as Newest Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge

News Article

February 18, 2022

Surrounded by friends, family and colleagues, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court welcomed its newest judge as Lori Dumas was sworn-in during a ceremonial session by the Honorable Kevin M. Dougherty, Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Dumas of Philadelphia County won election to the Court in Nov. 2021 and will serve a 10-year term.

Judge Dumas is a graduate of Duke University and North Carolina Central University School of Law, completed the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, DiverseForce Board Governance Program and is also a Georgetown Fellow, specializing in Crossover Systems. Judge Dumas also holds an Executive Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

For nearly two decades, Judge Dumas served on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. She was assigned to every major trial division, serving in the Civil Trial Division immediately before her election to the Commonwealth Court.

Committed to community service and civic engagement, Judge Dumas is active with numerous boards and community organizations including the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Penn’s Village, the Mann Center, the Forum of Executive Women, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and the Links, Incorporated.

The Commonwealth Court was established in 1968 and is one of Pennsylvania's two statewide intermediate appellate courts. The Court has subject matter jurisdiction over state and local government matters. It also acts as a trial court when lawsuits are filed by or against Commonwealth officials and Commonwealth agencies.

Appellate cases are generally heard by panels of three judges in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, although, on occasion, the Court sits in other locations. Cases may also be heard by a single judge or by en banc panels of seven judges.

More on the Commonwealth Court and its judges can be found at pacourts.us/commonwealth-court.

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Media contact: Stacey Witalec, 717-877-2997