News

Supreme Court Orders Judicial Vacancy Removed from Luzerne County Ballot

March 25, 2009

HARRISBURG, March, 25, 2009 — The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania today remanded the judicial disciplinary matter regarding Judge Ann H. Lokuta, formerly of the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County, to the Court of Judicial Discipline for further consideration. The Supreme Court directed the Court of Judicial Discipline to consider Lokuta’s afterdiscovered evidence claim based upon recent revelations of corruption in Luzerne County. On December 9, 2008 the Court of Judicial Discipline removed Lokuta from office. Today’s action by the Supreme Court also stayed the Court of Judicial Discipline’s removal order. The Supreme Court emphasized that the stay was being granted “solely for the purpose of ensuring that [Lokuta’s] seat on the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County is not placed on the ballot until final resolution of this judicial disciplinary matter, and is not to be construed as this Court taking any position on the merits of [Lokuta’s] appeal or her after-discovered evidence claim.” Lokuta filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in January challenging her removal from the bench by the Court of Judicial Discipline. In March 2009, Lokuta filed a separate petition in the Supreme Court based on after-discovered evidence deriving from the recent revelations of corruption in Luzerne County. Lokuta noted that three of the witnesses who testified against her have since pled guilty to crimes committed in connection with their official duties with the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, while a fourth resigned her position as Prothonotary and is cooperating in a federal investigation. (Copies of the Court’s orders can be found at: http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/1map2009pco.pdf and http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/26mm2009.pdf