HARRISBURG -- By unanimous vote, the judges of the Pennsylvania Superior Court have elected Judge Anne Lazarus to be the new president judge effective Jan. 7.
President Judge-elect Lazarus succeeds President Judge Jack Panella, who completes his five-year term on Jan. 6. Once installed as president judge, each of Pennsylvania's three appellate courts will be led by women.
"I am honored and humbled by the trust and confidence my colleagues have placed in me as president judge-elect, affording me the opportunity to serve the Court and the citizens of Pennsylvania in this important role," Lazarus said.
"I am grateful for the commitment and dedication to the Court by current President Judge Jack Panella, who has served in this role for the past five years with distinction. I look forward to working with my colleagues to build upon the firm foundation of access to justice and commitment to the people of Pennsylvania which was a foundation of Judge Panella's tenure."
Lazarus was elected to the Superior Court in November 2009 and sworn-in as a member of the Court in January 2010. Notably, she is the first woman from Philadelphia to be elected to any statewide office.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Lazarus received her bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and both her Juris Doctor and LLM from Temple University Beasley School of Law.