Jack A. Panella at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Current assignment
- Superior Court of Pennsylvania
- Jurisdiction
- Pennsylvania · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Jack A. Panella
Judge · Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 2014-present
- In 2018, he was elected President Judge of the Superior Court, a role in which he managed court operations and led initiatives to improve access to justice and case management
- Jack Anthony Panella, born May 4, 1955, is an American lawyer and jurist serving on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania
- He has also been appointed to the Judicial Conduct Board and the Court of Judicial Discipline, making him the only judge in Pennsylvania history elected both Chair of the JCB and President Judge of the CJD
Education
- a J.D. from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in 1980, where he received the American Jurisprudence award for the highest academic grade in Contracts.
- Panella obtained a B.S. in Accounting from St. John's University in 1977
Additional information
- He previously held the position of President Judge until January 6, 2024, and is affiliated with the Democratic Party.
- He has been successfully retained on the Superior Court bench, most recently in November 2023, receiving 67.3% of the vote, with a recommendation for retention from the Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Panella ran for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2009 but was not elected.
- Elected to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania in November 2003 and sworn in on January 9, 2004.
- Following law school, he clerked for the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County and later practiced law as a sole practitioner from 1982 to 1991
- Date of birth: 1955-05-04
- He presides over appeals from civil, criminal, and family law cases and has held the role of the statewide Administrative Judge for Wiretap & Electronic Surveillance.
- Before joining the Superior Court, Panella held the role of a judge on the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where he presided over civil, criminal, and family law cases
- Throughout his career, Panella has been recognized for his legal integrity, leadership, and contributions to judicial reform, including awards such as the national Visionary Voice Award.
- His work has significantly influenced Pennsylvania’s appellate court system and judicial education
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Exhibits
Statewide
For Pennsylvania Common Pleas proceedings, statewide Pa.R.J.A. 1910 prohibits courtroom broadcasting, recording, and photography unless an exception or judicial authorization applies; the rule also recognizes judge-authorized electronic or photographic means for evidence presentation.
the use of electronic or photographic means for the presentation of evidence201 Pa. Code Chapter 19, Rule 1910, Broadcasting, Recording and Photography in the Courtroom ↗
Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked August 2, 2026.
Superior Court of Pennsylvania current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Superior Court of Pennsylvania current judicial profile ↗201 Pa. Code Chapter 19, Rule 1910, Broadcasting, Recording and Photography in the Courtroom
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View 201 Pa. Code Chapter 19, Rule 1910, Broadcasting, Recording and Photography in the Courtroom ↗