HERE COMES THE JUDGE
SPRINGFIELD’S ANDREA PUPPIO TO TAKE SEAT ON COMMON PLEAS COURT
MEDIA » Delaware County will soon have a new addition to the Court of Common Pleas with the state Senate’s overwhelming approval last week of Magisterial District Judge Andrea Puppio to fill a seat left vacant with the retirement of Judge Nathaniel C. Nichols.
Puppio, who has helmed the
32-1-32 district court covering Springfield and Morton for nearly
18 years, was approved last Tuesday by a vote of 47-2. She told the Senate Judiciary Committee during a short hearing ahead of that vote that she will bring “patience, patience and a thousand times more patience” to the bench.
“The biggest lesson that I think I’ve learned is that everyone wants the opportunity to be heard,” she told Committee Chair Lisa Baker,
R-20 of Luzerne County. “People may ultimately disagree with me at the end of the day, but as long as they were heard, that makes a huge difference.”
Puppio, a 1990 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and
1993 Villanova University School of Law graduate, previously served in the private sector and as a law clerk to Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge Frank T. Hazel. She was also appointed last year by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to serve on the Court of Judicial Discipline.
Puppio, a mother of two and the wife of Springfield Republican Party Chair Michael Puppio, also serves as a member of the Springfield Cares Coalition addressing opioid addiction, works with the Springfield School District to ad
dress truancy and serves as vice president of the Board of the Delaware County Magisterial District Judges’ Association.
In her role as a magisterial district judge, Puppio has handled everything from traffic hearings to criminal proceedings. She told the committee Tuesday that her experience in overseeing the beginnings of criminal cases might not translate directly to the higher court, but will help her as she gains even more experience in her new position.
State Sen. Tim Kearney, D-26 of Swarthmore, noted in introducing Puppio to the committee via video feed Tuesday that she will only be serving out the one year remaining on Nichol’s term, but will bring the experience and intellect required to hit the ground running.
“I commend Judge Puppio’s willingness to temporarily serve in this position and bring her wealth of experience to the Court of Common Pleas, and I appreciate the chance to introduce her to you today,” he said.
Puppio could not be reached for comment about the appointment Monday. Kearney said Republican Senate leadership had put her up as their pick for the seat, but it was unclear if she had been approached for the job or had volunteered. It is also unknown at this point whether she plans to run for the position again upon completing the one year left in the term.
Though Kearney was the one to introduce Puppio and her achievements to the committee, he was also one of the only two votes against her appointment.
“Politics are funny,” he said when asked to reconcile the two actions.
Kearney said his vote, which he knew would not matter in terms of numbers, was more in support of four Democrats who secured historic wins on the Common Pleas Court last year than anything. Nichols retired after a deadline to set his seat for that election as well.
Judicial appoints are made by the sitting governor and approved by the state Senate. While it is tradition to appoint a member of the same party when a judge retires, Kearney said there was apparently some discussion and argument in this case, given Democrats taking not only the four judicial races on the ballot last year, but also all five seats on county council.
“I applauded the fact that (Puppio) was willing to step in and do this for a year in order to help the courts out,” said Kearney. “I also
“I commend Judge Puppio’s willingness to temporarily serve in this position and bring her wealth of experience to the Court of Common Pleas, and I appreciate the chance to introduce her to you today.”
— State Sen. Tim Kearney, D-26 of Swarthmore, noted in introducing Magisterial District Judge Andrew Puppio via video feed
don’t want to downplay the fact that four Democrats worked very hard to get elected last year and won pretty convincingly in all four races.”
A swearing-in ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. Oct. 16 in ceremonial Courtroom One.