Judge Joan Orie Melvin

The Endorsed Republican Candidate for Supreme Court

Born in Pittsburgh, PA.  Judge Orie Melvin attended the University of Notre Dame, where she received a B.A. in Economics in 1978, and Duquesne University School of Law, where she was awarded a J.D. in 1981. From 1981 to 1985 Judge Orie Melvin served as corporate counsel and was engaged in a private law practice, concentrating in civil litigation before she was appointed Magistrate for the City of Pittsburgh Municipal Courts, in 1985.

She was then named the first female and first republican Chief Magistrate in 1987 for the City of Pittsburgh Municipal Courts.  In this position Judge Orie Melvin established Pennsylvania’s first Domestic Violence Court, which serves as an international and national model.  Judge Orie Melvin also implemented community service programs for poor or juvenile offenders convicted on non-violent crimes to instill values of accountability. 

In 1990, Judge Orie Melvin was appointed Judge to a vacancy on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and later was elected to a full term in 1991. There, she served in the civil, criminal, and family divisions, presiding over a wide range of cases from complex civil litigation to major felonies to death penalty.

Judge Orie Melvin led the statewide ticket to be the first republican woman elected to the Superior Court and won that victory in November 1997.  She has since served there for over 11 years, participating in over 8000 appeals.  Judge Orie Melvin has a strong work ethic and is at the top of annual performance statistics every year.  She led the statewide retention ticket in November 2007.

Judge Orie Melvin has been a lifelong Republican.  Her faith is the cornerstone of her life.  She comes from a family of nine children raised with the principles of God and Country.  She and her husband Greg have been married for 25 years and have been blessed with six wonderful children.  Her sister is Senator Jane Orie, the present Pennsylvania Senate Majority Whip- the highest ranking female leader in the state. 

Judge Orie Melvin is a proven reformer.   As a judge she believes she is a steward of the taxpayer’s dollars and she had the moral conviction to fight the pay raise. She returned the pay raise and the COLA (cost of living adjustment) increase back to the Treasury for the benefit of the taxpayers. She has maintained the lowest amount of judicial expenses. Judge Orie Melvin has refused and will continue to refuse to use taxpayer dollars for out-of-state conferences. 

Her judicial philosophy is firmly based on judicial restraint. She is a strict constructionist and believes the job of judging is interpreting the law and not creating it. Her extensive judicial opinions are evidence of her conservative judicial philosophy.

Judge Orie Melvin is a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Allegheny County Bar Association. She is also a member of the American Judicature Society and the Federal Circuit Bar Association. She is a  past member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Inns of Court and the Allegheny County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Advisory Board. She is past President of the Allegheny County Prison Board. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Passavant Hospital and Soldiers & Sailors Military Museum and Memorial.  She also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Vincentian Home and as a member of the United Way Community Problem Solving Troubled Youth Committee and STOP Violence Task Force.

Judge Orie Melvin was the recipient of Carlow College's Woman of Spirit Award; Duquesne University School of Law Women's Law Association Woman of the Year; the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh - A Tribute to Women Leadership Award in Government/Public & Civic Service; Anne B. Anstine Excellence in Public Service Award-2004; the Berks County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award-2005; and the Pennsylvania Business & Professional Women-Women in Government Award-2005.

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