PBA President Issues Statement on Suspension of Justice McCaffery

The Pennsylvania Bar Association today released the following statement to the statewide media:

Pennsylvania Bar Association President Issues Statement on Suspension of Supreme Court Justice Seamus P. McCaffery

HARRISBURG (Oct. 21, 2014) — Pennsylvania Bar Association President Francis X. O’Connor today issued the following statement about the sending of inappropriate email by Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Seamus P. McCaffery and his suspension from duties:

“The recent discovery of the sending of inappropriate email by a member of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has cast a cloud over our Commonwealth’s highest court. In suspending Justice McCaffery, the Supreme Court has taken steps to deal with this unfortunate situation in order to protect the dignity of the justice system and promote public confidence in the judiciary.

There are almost a thousand judges within the Commonwealth, many of whom go to work early in the morning, work until late in the day and do a commendable job for the residents of Pennsylvania. They deserve nothing less than the respect we give them.

As members of Pennsylvania’s legal profession, we hope that our justices will deal with this regrettable situation in a professional manner, and the designated disciplinary bodies will perform their work efficiently and effectively.”

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.