The Legal Intelligencer reports that the First Judicial District is in settlement talks with Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel. Obermayer Rebmann is the law firm whose former partner, Jeffrey B. Rotwitt, was on both sides of the development deal for the new family courthouse in Philadelphia.

In an extraordinary procedural move, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ordered all of the judges on the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court to recuse themselves from a lawsuit against Whitemarsh Township.

The National Center for State Courts has awarded the 2010 Warren E. Burger Award for Excellence in Court Administration to Zygmont Pines, Court Administrator of Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Law Weekly reports (subscription required) that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is considering allowing PCN to televise oral arguments. Currently, PCN is videotaping some arguments -- not for public airing but for the justices to use as they consider whether to allow televising of arguments generally.

PMC has been speaking out on the topic of gifts to judges. In a letter to the editor appearing on the New York Times website, PMC’s executive and deputy directors criticized the court rule allowing the acceptance of gifts with disclosure.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this weekend published a letter to the editor from PMC. This letter came as a response to an article about the tax-payer paid leases for luxury vehicles driven by judges.

Yesterday the Legal Intelligencer published an editorial written by PMC about retention elections. Executive director Lynn Marks and deputy director Shira Goodman discuss the difficulties raised for retention elections by the ouster of three Iowa Supreme Court Justices, as well as the appropriate role for retention elections going forward.

PMC Deputy Director was interviewed on Westchester's WCHE this morning about gifts to Pennsylvania judges, where she reiterated PMC's position that the rules governing such gifts need to change.

A report in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review takes a critical look at the transportation benefits -- expensive car leases, insurance and gas -- enjoyed by Pennsylvania's top judges.

Editorials in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Patriot-News, and Philadelphia Inquirer criticize Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille for accepting expensive gifts and call for a change to the court’s rules. Under the current rules, created by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, trial and appellate judges may accept gifts as long as gifts valued over $250 are publicly disclosed.