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The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania supports Merit Selection because it “would be more likely to elevate qualified minority candidates to the bench than the current partisan election system,” lawyer and Hispanic Chamber representative Edward Lanza told the Senate Judiciary Committee in his oral and written testimony at the recent hearings on Merit Selection legislation.

The Hispanic Chamber believes that it is very important for the integrity of the judicial system in Pennsylvania that the courts reflect the increasing diversity of the Commonwealth’s population.  A growing Hispanic population is more likely to trust a court system that includes judges from diverse backgrounds and is more representative of the Community as a whole. . . .

This is not to say that diversity should be the only criterion for selection.  Neither should diversity be the main consideration.  The Commission will select persons of demonstrated competence, judgment and integrity to submit to the Governor for consideration, first taking into account the applicants’ qualifications and then considering the goal that each appellate bench should include both men and women, and judges and justices from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and who reflect the Commonwealth’s geographic diversity.

Designed to put the most qualified jurists on the bench, Merit Selection provides greater opportunities to candidates that represent Pennsylvania’s diversity.  We would like to thank Ed Lanza and The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for their support.

Read more about the Senate Judiciary hearing and see the testimony of various supporters here.

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