Your Guide to the Pennsylvania Superior Court Election

JEFFERSON Co. (EYT) — On November 7, voters throughout the Commonwealth will cast their ballots for two new Superior Court judges. Here’s your guide to the court and the candidates.

Like the Commonwealth Court, the Superior Court is an appeals court in the Commonwealth. Unlike its sister court, the Superior Court handles high-level appeals in criminal and family matters.

Superior Court judges are elected to ten year terms. There is no limit to the number of terms they can serve, though the mandatory retirement age is 75. At the end of their term, they can either be retained or rejected with a yes or no vote. They rarely lose a retainer vote.

The court is currently split with seven Republicans and seven Democrats. There is currently one vacancy. Two of fourteen judges have reached the mandatory retirement age. This election will fill two seats. Republicans must win both to gain a majority, while Democrats must win only one.

Maria Battista (R)

A native of Knox, Pa., Battista is a former Venango County Assistant District Attorney. She earned her undergraduate degree from Clarion University and went on to earn a master’s degree in education administration and both a Juris Doctorate and a Doctorate of Education.

After leaving the Venango County District Attorney’s Office, Battista worked for the Department of Defense as a contract specialist. She is currently the vice president for federal and state contracts with The Judge Group in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

Jill Beck (D)

According to her website, Beck is a business attorney based in Pittsburgh. Previously, she clerked for Judge Christine Donohue at the Superior and Supreme Courts from 2010 to 2019.

Beck holds a bachelor degree in criminal justice from George Washington University and attended Duquesne University School of Law, where she graduated top of her class.

Timika Lane (D)

Lane serves as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas for Philadelphia County, having first been elected in 2013. She attended Howard University where she earned a bachelor degree in history and political science. She went on to graduate from Rutgers Law School.

According to her campaign website, Lane worked as a public school teacher, as a certified child advocate, and as an attorney prior to her election to the Common Pleas Court.

Harry Smail (R)

According to his website, Smail has been a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Westmoreland County for 8½ years. He was appointed by Governor Tom Corbett to serve on the bench in 2014 and unanimously confirmed by the State Senate. In 2015 Judge Smail won both parties’ nominations to a full term on the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas.

Smail graduated from Grove City College and Duquesne University School of Law. He worked his way through Duquesne University’s Night School program while working as a probation & parole officer.