The Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas announces the establishment of a Commerce/Complex Case Litigation Center. The new Center, created under the Court's Civil Division, will be headed by the Honorable R. Stanton Wettick, Jr., Administrative Judge of the Civil Division, and will commence operations in early 2007.

President Judge Joseph M. James, upon consultation with Judges, Supreme Court Justices and members of the local Bar Association, determined that the interests of justice would be best served by the creation of the Center. "The myriad issues presented by complex and commerce cases often requires substantial judicial time to resolve," noted Judge James. "Our decision to establish this Center will allow specially-assigned judges to focus solely on these matters, thus providing a more efficient means of adjudication."

Judge Wettick, Administrative Judge of the Civil Division since December 2003, was first elected to the Bench in 1977. During his tenure on the Bench, Judge Wettick handled a large number of commerce and complex cases.

In addition to Judge Wettick, the Honorable Christine A. Ward, currently sitting in the Family Division of the Court, will reassigned to the Commerce/Complex Case Litigation Center effective September 1, 2007. Prior to her election to the Bench in November 2003, Judge Ward attained nearly twenty years' experience in complex and commercial litigation at the state and federal levels.

"The creation of the Commerce Center is an innovative development designed to better serve the business and technology community as well as all of the citizens of Allegheny County. I eagerly look forward to this challenging new assignment and the many beneficial effects the Center will have on our civil litigation system", noted Judge Ward.

In his capacity as Administrative Judge of the Civil Division, Judge Wettick will be identifying the case types that will be heard in the Center in the coming weeks

Should you have any questions regarding this matter or any commercial litigation issues, please call or e-mail John P. Corcoran, Jr. at (412) 261-6400 or jpc@jpcg.com.