The hearing was in part a response to the recent Philadelphia Inquirer series that decried, among other issues, the system’s low conviction rates and problems with witness intimidation. While not everyone agreed with all of the Inquirer’s conclusions, there has been a collaborative movement to re-examine the court system in hopes of improving it.
 
PMC's executive director Lynn Marks presented testimony focusing on the need to unite all of the systems stakeholders, including the public, in such efforts. Marks spoke of creating alliances between court users, stressing the importance of establishing and maintaining public trust in the judicial system.
 
Also testifying before the committee were: Honorable Seamus McCaffery, Justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court; Honorable D. Webster Keogh, Administrative Judge, Trial Division, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas; Ellen T. Greenlee, Defender, Defender Association of Philadelphia; John McGrody, Vice President, Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5; Honorable R. Seth Williams, District Attorney of Philadelphia; Michael J. Engle, President, and Bernard L. Siegel, Co-chair, Philadelphia Chapter of Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers