Judge Risa Vetri Ferman appointed to Judicial Conduct Board of Pa.
The Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania is responsible for reviewing, investigating and prosecuting complaints of judicial misconduct
A Montgomery County judge who also once served as the district attorney has been appointed to the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania, which is responsible for reviewing, investigating, and, where warranted, prosecuting complaints of judicial misconduct.
Judge Risa Vetri Ferman was appointed to the 12-member board effective March 20 and she will serve the balance of an unexpired four-year term with eligibility for reappointment.
Gov. Josh Shapiro appointed Ferman to serve as a judicial member of the board.
Ferman was appointed to complete the unexpired term of former board member Judge Mia R. Perez, who left the board to serve as a federal district court judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Judicial Conduct Board is an independent body consisting of Pennsylvania citizens and comprises three judges, three attorneys and six non-lawyer electors. Half of the board members are appointed by the governor and half by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The board’s members serve four-year terms, without pay, and no more than half of its appointed members may be from the same political party.
Ferman was elected judge in 2015 and took the bench in January 2016 and she currently serves in the criminal division.
Ferman previously oversaw dependency and delinquency cases as administrative judge of the juvenile division and she also has served in the family division of the county Court of Common Pleas.
With her ascension to judge in 2016, Ferman, of Abington, wrapped up a 23year career as a prosecutor, eight as district attorney.
Ferman, a 1983 graduate of Abington High School who graduated from Widener University School of Law in 1992, began her career with the district attorney’s office in January 1993, hired at the age of 27 by former District Attorney Michael D. Marino, and cut her prosecutorial teeth in the pre-trials division, ran the sex crimes unit, oversaw homicide, wiretap and grand jury investigations and supervised the trials division as a deputy district attorney. She was appointed second in command by former District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. in 2002.
Ferman was elected district attorney in 2007 and re-elected in 2011. After eight years as district attorney Ferman campaigned for and won one of three judicial seats that were up for grabs in the November 2015 election.
Ferman was the first woman to serve as president of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, the professional association that provides training for prosecutors and information on legal and legislative issues.
Ferman also is a cofounder of the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project, which provides pro bono legal representation for children who are victims or witnesses of abuse. She also helped lead the effort to open “Mission Kids,” a child advocacy center for abused children.
Ferman wrote two children’s books, “The Mouse Who Went Surfing Alone” and “The Mouse Who Beat the Jungle Bullies.” Both books were developed as teaching tools to educate youngsters and their parents about danger on the internet and how to deal with bullies.
Ferman has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors during her career.
Created by constitutional amendment in 1993, the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania is an independent board within the judicial branch of state government that is responsible for reviewing, investigating, and, where warranted, prosecuting complaints of judicial misconduct.
If the board, by majority vote, decides that there is probable cause to believe that a judge engaged in misconduct, the board may file a complaint in the Court of Judicial Discipline where the board must prove the charges against the judge by clear and convincing evidence.
The Court of Judicial Discipline decides if the board has sustained its burden of proof and also decides the sanction to be imposed upon the judge for any proven misconduct.