News
Newly confirmed jurists to serve on appellate courts
News Article
June 28, 2016
Pennsylvania’s appellate court benches added six new jurists today when the state Senate confirmed Gov. Tom Wolf’s nominations for judicial vacancies.
Among them is Supreme Court Justice Sallie Mundy, who had served on the Superior Court since 2010. She was named to fill an opening on the state’s highest court that was created when former Justice J. Michael Eakin retired earlier this year.
Justice Mundy spent two decades in private practice, mostly with Philadelphia-area law firms, before running for Superior Court in 2009. She received a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Jefferson College in 1984 and her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1987. Prior to serving on the bench, Justice Mundy was a volunteer public defender in Tioga County where she resides.
“Justice Mundy is an experienced jurist, who possesses the temperament and integrity to well serve the people of Pennsylvania,” said Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Thomas G. Saylor. “My colleagues and I welcome her to the Supreme Court.”
Three people were named and confirmed to vacancies on the Superior Court: Philadelphia Judge Lillian Harris Ransom and Carl Solano and Geoffrey Moulton.
“These are excellent additions to our bench who will allow us to continue to provide the timely delivery of justice in one of the nation’s busiest intermediate appellate courts,” said Superior Court President Judge Susan P. Gantman.
Judge Ransom served in the family division of the Philadelphia court system from 1996 to 2002 during which time she served as the statewide chair of the Model Dependency Court Project. She has presided over the court’s criminal trial division since leaving the juvenile division. A recipient of numerous community service awards, Judge Ransom earned a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and a master’s degree from Temple University. She earned her law degree from St. Louis University School of Law.
Solano chairs the appellate practice and communications and media practice groups at the Philadelphia law firm of Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP. He has practiced appellate law for more than three decades and frequently handles cases on matters of state and federal constitutional law, public education, and tort and business issues. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Scranton in 1973 and a law degree from the Villanova University School of Law in 1976.
Moulton has served as deputy general counsel since January 2015 in the Office of General Counsel, which represents three dozen executive and independent agencies across the Commonwealth. Prior to that, he was a federal prosecutor for eight years and a Special Deputy Attorney General who reviewed and reported on the handling of the Jerry Sandusky investigation by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. He received a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a law degree from Columbia University School of Law.
The Commonwealth Court gained two new members: Julia Hearthway, a former state Secretary of Labor and Industry, and Joseph Cosgrove, a former Luzerne County judge.
“We are grateful to the Pennsylvania Senate and the governor for bringing the Commonwealth Court to a full complement of judges,” said Commonwealth Court President Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt. “We welcome Mr. Cosgrove and Ms. Hearthway, who are well grounded in state and local government, to our ranks.”
Cosgrove, who briefly served on the Luzerne County bench, has more than 30 years of experience as a private practitioner, public defender, conflict counsel and educator. Currently an attorney with the AOPC, Cosgrove earned his law degree from the University of Notre Dame where he also earned a master’s degree in theology. He also holds a master of arts degree from Marywood University.
Hearthway previously served as head of the state Department of Labor and Industry — the fifth-largest agency in state government with nearly 5,000 employees in 145 locations across the Commonwealth. Prior to that she worked in the Office of the Attorney General serving as a deputy attorney general in charge of investigating and prosecuting criminal insurance fraud. She earned a bachelor's degree at Stephens College and law degree at Rutgers University School of Law.
All of the individuals were part of a package of 30 judicial appointees Gov. Wolf and state senators agreed on to fill open slots on county and appellate court benches.
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Media contact: Jim Koval, 717-231-3324