In response to a request by Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille, Governor Rendell has agreed not to make any more vacancy appointments to the state bench. The reason for the decision, announced at the beginning of this month, is budgetary. In a letter to the Governor, Chief Justice Castille recommended not filling any more seats to “achieve some short term savings” to help alleviate the court’s “precarious financial position.”

As a result, 28 judgeships will remain vacant. More seats could go unfilled if judges die or retire. Normally, a governor fills judicial vacancies by making interim appointments, subject to confirmation by two-thirds of the state Senate, or a majority vote for district judges. Now, some seats may not be filled until after the general election next year.

Governor Rendell’s spokesperson, Gary Tuma, confirmed, “He will make no new appointments to vacancies unless the local county court can convince the chief justice that it is warranted by the backlog of cases in that county.”

Read the Philadelphia Daily News article here.