Opinion
No. 4 JD 20
08-26-2020
IN RE: Judge Mark V. Tranquilli Court of Common Pleas 5th Judicial District Allegheny County
ORDER
AND NOW this 26th day of August, 2020, it is hereby ORDERED that Judge Mark V. Tranquilli is SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY effective immediately.
It is further ORDERED that this case will be conducted on an expedited basis with discovery to be completed by September 15, 2020, Pretrial Memos of the parties filed by September 18, 2020, the Pretrial Conference to be held on September 21, 2020, and that the Trial will commence on October 5, 2020.
PER CURIAM *Judge Foradora dissents from this Order.
Dissenting Statement by Judge Foradora
In my view the Judicial Conduct Board should not pursue an interim suspension petition unless: (a) criminal charges have been filed, or; (b) criminal activity has allegedly occurred, or; (c) the Judge has previously been charged by the Judicial Conduct Board. I believe the President Judge of each Judicial District has the authority to make the appropriate assignment or suspension to protect the integrity of the Judiciary in the time between the filing of a Complaint by the Judicial Conduct Board and its resolution at trial; the same as the President Judge can between the allegation of wrongdoing and the filing of charges. In this case the most severe sanction has been issued before the trial has occurred.