Judge appointed to manage Philadelphia court system’s trial division

Kevin M. Dougherty will succeed the retiring John W. Herron as the judge managing the Philadelphia court system's trial division.

Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille said Wednesday that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed Dougherty to the post of administrative judge of the trial division of the Court of Common Pleas of the First Judicial District (FJD).

Dougherty was supervising judge of the juvenile branch from 2003 to 2005 when he became the administrative judge for the FJD's family division. He will continue his duties there until his appointment to the trial division becomes effective Dec. 1. He succeeds Herron, who has been administrative judge of the trial division since Nov. 2011.

"While there are other able judges who would be more than capable of doing the job, Judge Dougherty's leadership of the family division of the courts proved his abilities both as a jurist and an administrator, as well as a leader, qualities that are necessary for the considerable task at hand," said Justice J. Michael Eakin, who serves as the Supreme Court liaison with the Philadelphia court system.

The administrative judge supervises roughly 70 judges assigned to the civil and criminal programs, as well as approximately 1,000 court employees in this largest of three divisions of the court. In the post, Dougherty has the final say over all administrative matters, including the assignment of judges; case management with the criminal and civil sections; personnel administration; statistical reporting and analysis; technology matters; the jury commission; fiscal oversight and adult probation and parole. The administrative judge also sits on the FJD's administrative governing board and the Supreme Court's juvenile court procedural rules committee.

Jeff Blumenthal covers banking, insurance and law.