One of our very favorite people, Judge Paul P. Panepinto, steps down from the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court bench today after nearly 27 years of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Judge Panepinto is not only a great jurist but an outstanding citizen and a friend to many. Throughout his career he has remained a true public servant -- humble, generous with his time and knowledge, engagingly human, fair, thorough and eminently decent.
He will now split his time between retirement and service on the Board of City Trusts.
Judge Panepinto served on the Common Pleas Court's Trial Division. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Villanova University, both in Political Science, and his Juris Doctorate from Widener University. Judge Panepinto has an extensive history as a jurist, a public servant, and an administrator.
He has always been dedicated to his community, especially to youth, and has served in a wide variety of roles in the judicial system. He began by serving the Philadelphia Family Court from 1971 to 1990 in varying capacities, advancing from Probation Officer to Juvenile Master. After working his way through law school, Panepinto was elected to the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in 1991.
Judge Panepinto has held various leadership roles throughout his career. He served as a Judge on the Court of Judicial Discipline from 2003 to 2007, in which he heard cases where formal charges were filed against judicial officers. Additionally, he was appointed by Governor Tom Ridge to the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission in Pennsylvania. He served as a Team Leader in Motions Court and was also Team Leader of Complex Litigation in the Civil Trial Division.
His commitment to mentoring youth and helping them to avoid a lifestyle of violence led him to become involved with the Do the Write Thing Committee. He was the Philadelphia Chair of the Committee and has worked with grade schools throughout Philadelphia to discuss the impact, causes of, and solutions to violence. As a result of his service in this capacity, he was then appointed Pennsylvania State Chair for the National Campaign to Stop Violence.
Judge Panepinto has been recognized for his achievements and his dedication to the community by several organizations at the local, national, and international levels, including the Philadelphia Bar Association, Widener University School of Law, the Juvenile Justice Center of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island Governor and Attorney General, and the Consul General of Italy. The details of these prestigious recognitions can be found below, in the Awards section.
Judge Panepinto participates in various organizations and associations, such as the Lawyers’ Club of Philadelphia, the Justinian Society, the National Italian American Bar Association, the Knights of Columbus Cora Marie Council, and the Board of Overseers of Widener University Delaware School of Law. He served for four years as President of the Roxborough Lodge of the Order of Sons of Italy.
Judge Panepinto and his wife, Nancy, have been married for thirty-seven years.
Nancy holds a Bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. They have two children, Paul and Lynn. Paul is a graduate of LaSalle University and Lynn is a graduate of St. Joseph’s University.
Thank you Judge Panepinto for your extraordinary service. You've always been a favorite of ours -- always real, always helpful, a true role model for so many! We wish you the best!
