HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlain English Statement for Ballot QuestionPROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 1
AMENDING THE MANDATORY JUDICIAL RETIREMENT AGE
Ballot Question
Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to require that justices of
the Supreme Court, judges, and magisterial district judges be retired on the last
day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 75 years?
Plain English Statement of the Office of Attorney General
The purpose of the ballot question is to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to require
that justices, judges and justices of the peace (known as magisterial district judges) be retired
on the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 75 years.
Presently, the Pennsylvania Constitution provides that justices, judges and justices of
the peace be retired on the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 70
years. Justices of the peace are currently referred to as magisterial district judges.
If the ballot question were to be approved, justices, judges and magisterial district
judges would be retired on the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 75
years rather than the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 70 years.
This amendment to the mandatory retirement age would be applicable to all judges and
justices in the Commonwealth, including the justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, judges
of the Commonwealth Court, Superior Court, county courts of common pleas, community
courts, municipal courts in the City of Philadelphia, and magisterial district judges.
The ballot question is limited in that it would not amend any other provisions of the
Pennsylvania Constitution related to the qualification, election, tenure, or compensation of the
justices, judges or magisterial district judges.
The effect of the ballot question would be to allow all justices, judges, and magisterial
district judges to remain in office until the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the
age of 75 years. This would permit all justices, judges, and magisterial district judges to serve an
additional five years beyond the current required retirement age.