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Nicola Serianni

Member since: Saturday, 29 December 2018
Last Visit: Never
Details
First Name
Nicola
Last Name
Serianni
Status
Defeated
Campaign Cycle
2019
Office
Common Pleas
Sitting Judge
No
Party
Democrat
Phone
215-282-4510
Email Address
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website
http://www.serianniforjudge.com
Ballot Position
7
Button #
9
Votes
27834
Endorsements
Bar Association Rating
Recommended
Party/Wards
1st Ward, 5th Ward
Unions
Transportation Workers Union (TWU) Local 234, Boilermakers Local 13, Plumbers Local 690
Progressive Groups
Reclaim Philadelphia, Liberty City LGBT Democrats, 215 People's Alliance, GRASP
Clergy
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Public Officials
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler
News Papers
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Questionnaire
What has been the general nature of your practice?
Civil Litigation. I currently represent union railroad workers who have been injured on the job. I also work in plaintiff’s class action litigation, representing those that have been injured by the pharmaceutical industry, consumer products, and by priests in the Catholic Church abuse scandal.
Why do you consider yourself qualified to be judge?
My ability to rule with equality, integrity and respect. I will ensure equality for all who appear before my court. I have represented clients on both the defense and plaintiff’s side. I understand and appreciate what both sides bring to civil litigation, and I respect both sides for the job they must do. I currently represent regular people - consumers, railroad workers, indigent people - and I recognize that everyone deserves equal treatment under the law, regardless of race, color, creed or socio-economic status. I will uphold the integrity of the Judicial System. Having worked in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, under Judge Richard B. Klein (Ret.) and Judge Anne E. Lazarus, I have a strong appreciation and respect for the law. I will show respect for all regardless of circumstance. I believe that all parties who appear before the Philadelphia Courts should be treated exactly as I would want my own family and friends to be treated - fairly and respectfully.
What is it about our criminal justice system that inspires you?
I am inspired by the rights the Constitution grants to the accused – access to non-excessive bail, the right to know what one is being charged with, and the right to a speedy trial. I am inspired that those rights are inherent to all accused; however, I believe that our current criminal justice system must get back to those basics, as some of those rights have been lost to many who are faced with criminal charges.
What about our current criminal justice system do you believe needs to be reformed?
The United States imprisons more people than any other nation in the world, which can be attributed to using aggressive policing to solve social problems. For example, drug laws disproportionately punish and neglect the real needs of the community – addiction, abuse, mental health problems, etc. However, studies have shown that treating the addiction not only decreases substance abuse but also reduces associated criminal behavior.
As a judge, what would your sentencing philosophy be?
I believe in a more holistic and restorative philosophy to sentencing. I believe a judge should consider whether the offender has taken responsibility their actions, whether they understand the harm they have caused, and then determine a sentence that would cure the wounds of victims and give the offender an opportunity to redeem themselves and discourage them from causing further harm.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night thinking about a case and wishing you had handled something differently? If so, please describe one situation.
I wake up in the middle of the night while I currently handle a case – thinking of a legal issue, a witness I could call, a motion I could file. The sleepless nights I have while I am representing my client allow me to sleep better after I have resolved the case, knowing I have done everything for them.
Who are your role models and why?
My parents. They immigrated to the United States to obtain the American Dream with nothing more than a job offer and some suitcases. Over 40 years later they have opened and sustained their own successful business, retired as an executive from a multi-national corporation, and sent three children to college and graduate school. My parents proved, like Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.”
What is your favorite book, movie, or tv show of all time and why did it speak to you so much?
The Wire. I watched it when it first aired in 2002, but as my life has changed from lawyer, to mom and now to candidate I can take something new away and I find it is still very relevant 17 years after its original airing.
Name a song that you were obsessed with as a teenager.
Killing Me Softly – The Fugees (but really, The Score was on constant repeat).
What is you favorite number?
4
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