News

Handling Sex Crime Cases: Nation’s First Guide Published To Assist State District Judges

March 08, 2011

HARRISBURG, PA, March 9, 2011—Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin, Superior Court Judge Jack Panella and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) Chief Executive Officer Delilah Rumburg will be at the Dauphin County Courthouse Lobby on Thursday, March 10 at 2 p.m. to present Dauphin County judges with the nation’s first Sexual Violence Benchbook designed specifically to guide lower court judges in the handling of sex crime cases.

Your coverage is invited.

Representatives from the Dauphin County’s District Attorney’s Office and local Rape Crisis Center as well as other local officials will be in attendance. The benchbook, to be distributed to more than 540 magisterial district judges throughout the state, was result of collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and PCAR. It was primarily written by Judge Panella with assistance from project manager and PCAR Criminal Justice Specialist Krista Hoffman. Justice Eakin was a member of the Benchbook Advisory Committee.