Pennsylvania
Running for: State Supreme Court
Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Justice Wecht served as a Judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania (2012–2016) and on the Court of Common Pleas for Pennsylvania’s Fifth Judicial District (2003–2012). From 2009 to 2011, he was appointed Administrative Judge of the Fifth Judicial District’s Family Division, where he implemented reforms including the Unified Family Court, a local rule on parenting coordination, and improved conflict counsel appointments in juvenile cases.
Before taking the bench, Justice Wecht was twice elected Allegheny County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court, pioneering a free will consultation program for seniors and authoring a state law preventing accused murderers from controlling victims’ estates.
A 1984 Yale College graduate (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa), he earned distinction in history and political science, then attended Yale Law School, serving as Notes Editor of the Yale Law Journal and editor of other law reviews. He clerked for U.S. Circuit Judge George MacKinnon and practiced law at Williams & Connolly, Katarincic & Salmon, and The Wecht Law Firm.
During his time on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Justice David Wecht has upheld the state Constitution’s “free and equal elections” clause to prevent extreme partisan gerrymandering, protected the guarantee of a “thorough and efficient system of public education,” and preserved Pennsylvanians’ constitutional right to clean air, pure water, and a healthy environment. He has also safeguarded women’s privacy rights and healthcare choices while defending the rights of Pennsylvania’s consumers, all in service of protecting the people and the Constitution of the Commonwealth.
Justice Wecht is a frequent lecturer, has taught at Duquesne, Pittsburgh, and international universities, and has published widely. He is active in professional organizations, including the American Law Institute, and has volunteered extensively in governmental, civic, and community boards.