News

U.S. Supreme Court Appoints Chief Justice Cappy to Federal Judicial Conference Committee

September 30, 2004

HARRISBURG, September 30, 2004 — Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ralph J. Cappy has been appointed to the United States Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Chief Justice Cappy’s three-year term on the committee begins Oct. 1. He is one of five new members appointed this month to the 14-member committee, which reviews proposed changes in federal jurisdiction and acts as a liaison between the state courts and the U.S. Judicial Conference. Committee members include four state supreme court chief justices, four federal district judges, a bankruptcy judge and a magistrate judge. “I am honored to participate in this significant collaboration among distinguished federal and state jurists in addressing issues of nationwide importance and recommending solutions,” Chief Justice Cappy said. “Bringing a Pennsylvania perspective to the issues before the committee will help ensure continued effectiveness in the administration of justice at both the state and federal levels.” The committee usually meets in January and June of each year to consider pending business and to make recommendations to the Judicial Conference when appropriate. Topics previously reviewed by the committee include class actions/mass torts, patients’ rights, DNA testing, asbestos litigation, diversity jurisdiction, habeas corpus procedures and prisoner civil rights litigation. Some issues arise in response to bills introduced in Congress or because the matters implicate the allocation of jurisdiction between the state and federal judicial systems, create new causes of action in federal court or affect the administrative processing of claims prior to judicial review. Chief Justice Cappy, who began his service on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in January 1990, is serving his second 10-year term on the court. He previously was a trial judge and an Administrative Judge in the Civil, Family and Criminal Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.