Candidate: Judge Carolyn Carluccio

Court: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Party: Republican

Pennsylvania Bar Association Rating: Highly Recommended

The following has been edited lightly for length and style.

The Legal Intelligencer: Tell us about your background, where you went to law school, what firms you have practiced at, and areas of law you focus on.

Judge Carolyn Carluccio: DELAWARE LAW SCHOOL OF WIDENER UNIVERSITY, Wilmington, Delaware Juris Doctor Degree 1985; National Moot Court Competition Team; Executive Board Member, Moot Court Honor Society; Chairperson, G. Fred DiBona Competition; Vice-President, Women's Law Caucus. ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, District of Delaware; January 1989 – August 1997; Prosecuted large-scale drug dealers, bank robbers, and money launderers. CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER; Montgomery County, Pennsylvania January 2002 – February 2006 CHIEF DEPUTY SOLICITOR; Montgomery County, Pennsylvania February 2006 – December 2009 JUDGE; Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County, PA January 2010 – Present; Since elected in 2009, has been assigned to sit in the Criminal, Family and Civil Court Benches, and back-up judge to Juvenile Court. First woman president judge of the third largest county in the state.

The Legal Intelligencer: What is one major thing about your career experience that most qualifies you for this position, and why?

Carluccio: I'm the first female president judge in Montgomery County history. With over 14 years of experience on the bench, I have presided over thousands of criminal, civil, family court, and juvenile court cases.

The Legal: What is the main reason Pennsylvania voters should pick you?

Carluccio: As the only [Republican] candidate who earned the rating of "Highly Recommended" from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, I believe I have the most experience of any candidate. I've served as a judge, prosecutor and public defender, but most importantly, I will NOT be an activist judge. I will uphold the Constitution and apply the law as it is written.

The Legal: What will be your approach to moving matters efficiently through the case management system?

Carluccio: As president judge of the third largest and busiest court in the state, I inherited extremely large post-Covid backlogs in the criminal and civil divisions of our court. I understand case flow and changed the way we did business in the county in both divisions. In less than 18 months, I am proud to say we have worked through nearly three quarters of those backlogs.

The Legal: What would you say to voters regarding your plans to ensure the equal administration of justice for all people?

Carluccio: Lady Justice is portrayed blind for a reason. Everyone that comes before the court should be treated fairly, respectfully and feel as though their voice was heard. There is no place for bias, for any reason, when applying the law.

The Legal: Where can voters go for more information about you?

Carluccio: https://www.judgecarluccio.com/ https://www.facebook.com/judgecarluccioforsupremecourt https://twitter.com/JudgeCarluccio https://www.instagram.com/judgecarluccioforsupremecourt/