News

Supreme Court Terminates Ciavarella’s Pay and Benefits

February 12, 2009

terminated the salary and benefits of Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. following Ciavarella’s guilty plea to criminal charges in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Ciavarella pleaded guilty in Scranton on Thursday, February 12, to charges of defrauding the public of honest service and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Former Luzerne County Senior Judge Michael T. Conahan also pleaded guilty to the same charges. The judges are accused of accepting kickbacks from the building of two private juvenile detention facilities and of benefiting financially from the placement of juveniles in those facilities. The Supreme Court, exercising its constitutional supervisory powers over the Pennsylvania court system, removed both judges from service on January 28, 2009, after they were formally charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Ciavarella was relieved from all judicial duties at that time, but was permitted to continue receiving salary and benefits. With his guilty plea, his salary and benefits have been terminated. Conahan was a senior judge at the time charges were filed. The Supreme Court revoked his senior judge certification and ordered all pending judicial assignments to him rescinded. From that point, Conahan no longer could perform judicial work or receive per diem pay as a senior judge. On Wednesday, February 11, the Supreme Court appointed a special master to review all cases in which Ciavarella is alleged to have improperly committed juveniles in Luzerne County to detention or to have denied juveniles their constitutional right to counsel. A copy of the court's order terminating Ciavarella's salary and benefits is attached. http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/327jad.1-2.pdf