Your Guide to Philly’s Judicial Candidates

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its final decision today in the case of Michael Huff, affirming the lower court’s ruling that he is not domiciled in Philadelphia and therefore not eligible to run for judge. This decision is final. Huff will not appear on the official tally for either the Court of Common Pleas or Municipal Court races. Read the Supreme Court order here. Ballots Printed Before the Decision While this ruling brings legal clarity, its timing has created significant confusion. Just days before the Supreme Court’s ruling, the Philadelphia City Commissioners finalized and began printing thousands of vote-by-mail ballots…

Despite being dealt a decisive blow by Commonwealth Court Judge Lori Dumas—who ruled that Michael Huff is not domiciled in Philadelphia and does not qualify to run for judge—Huff has filed a second appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. This appeal comes just one day after Dumas issued her strongly worded opinion, reaffirming her earlier decision and applying the Supreme Court’s broader residency test. In doing so, Huff is continuing to delay the finalization of Philadelphia’s vote-by-mail ballots, which must be mailed by May 6 to comply with state law. Read Huff’s new appeal here. The Appeal: Huff’s Last Stand…

Following the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s directive to reevaluate judicial candidate Michael Huff’s residency under a broader legal framework, Judge Lori Dumas has issued her reconsideration—and her conclusion hasn’t changed: Michael Huff is not domiciled in Philadelphia and does not qualify to appear on the ballot. Read the full opinion here. The Huff Test—And Why Huff Failed It In its recent opinion, the Supreme Court rejected the narrow statutory test that had disqualified Huff initially, instead laying out a six-part “totality of the circumstances” standard. Though rooted in existing precedent, the opinion’s detail and emphasis may well make this the new…