Last week, a jury found former Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce guilty of lying about injuries sustained in an automobile accident.  Sentencing, which will occur in March, could include prison time and restitution. 
 
The Erie Times-News offers an account of the trial, including commentary from PMC and other court watchers.  "The Joyce case shows that no one is immune from prosecution for insurance fraud, said Shira Goodman of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, which advocates merit selection of judges, among other reforms. Cases such as Joyce's make it harder for the courts to get out the good news about the work they do, such as mental-health and drug courts, she said.  "You never want to see a judge convicted of a crime, especially a crime which involves fraud," she said.
 
When Joyce was indicted just before the November 2007 elections, he decided not to stand for retention and was suspended by the Supreme Court.  He retired from the bench at the end of his ten-year term.