Court Order Officially Cuts Magistrate Offices

The Pennsylvania State Supreme Court Tuesday ordered the closure of two Allegheny County courts at the start of 2012, including one that currently serves Swissvale residents. 

The decision came after Allegheny County President Donna Jo McDaniel at the request of the state Judiciary. Faced with a budget deficit, the Judiciary asked individual counties last spring to review courts for elimination.

Two of the courts included in McDaniel’s recommendation — that of Judge Ross C. Ciopa, covering Swissvale, Rankin and Braddock, and that of Judge Regis C. Welsh Jr., covering Pine, Richland and Hampton — will be eliminated from this year’s election ballot.

Both Ciopa and Welsh were scheduled to retire at the end of this year.

Included in McDaniel’s recommendation but not approved for elimination is the court of Judge Nathan N. Firestone, which covers two wards in the City of Pittsburgh. 

In addition to eliminating those courts, the order also redistributes caseloads.

Residents from Swissvale, Braddock Hills and Chalfant, who currently fall under Ciopa’s court, will be shifted to Judge Thomas P. Caulfield’s Forest Hills Court, which was . 

At the same time, , currently under Caulfield’s purview, will move to Judge Kim M. Hoot’s Wilkinsburg court and Judge Leonard J. HRomyak’s Penn Hills court, respectively.

The cuts are part of a statewide effort to reduce magisterial courts by 10 percent, according to a press release from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. Tuesday’s order cut six other courts — one each in Berks, Delaware, Lackawanna, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Snyder counties.

Every 10 years, the state reestablishes magisterial courts based on a review of census results. According to the press release, the state hopes Tuesday’s cuts and the upcoming reestablishment will rein in costs and achieve the 10 percent reduction goal.