Supreme Court Leaves Judge’s Suspension Intact Over Democratic Facebook Advocacy
The justices left intact rulings that found his Facebook posts violated judicial conduct rules and undermined confidence in the bench.
- On Oct. 5, the Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Mark Cohen, a former Pennsylvania judge suspended for partisan Facebook posts, leaving his suspension in place.
- Pennsylvania judicial authorities suspended Cohen in 2024 after reviewing more than 60 Facebook posts praising President Joe Biden and Gov. Josh Shapiro while criticizing Republicans, violating judicial conduct rules.
- Cohen argued his speech was protected by the First Amendment, but the Court applied a balancing test, deciding the Commonwealth's interest in judicial impartiality outweighed his interest in advocating for the Democratic Party.
- Rejecting strict scrutiny, the Court concluded sitting judges face stricter speech limits than ordinary political speakers to preserve public confidence in judicial independence and impartiality.
- For nearly 25 years, courts have struggled to determine if precedents applying strict scrutiny to political speech by judicial candidates also apply to sitting judges, leaving the applicable standard deeply divided.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal from Politically Biased Judge
The Supreme Court turned down an appeal from a Pennsylvania judge suspended for sharing partisan political views on social media while in office. This decision underscores the importance of maintaining judicial impartiality.
JUST IN: Supreme Court Smacks Down Left-Wing Judge
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from a former Pennsylvania judge who was suspended after repeatedly posting partisan political content on Facebook while serving on the bench. Former Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark Cohen, a longtime Democratic state lawmaker before becoming a judge, had argued that his suspension violated his […]
SCOTUS slams door on Dem judge’s career fight after years of pro-Biden Facebook posts - NEW YORK TIMES POST
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an appeal from a former Pennsylvania judge who was suspended after repeatedly posting partisan political content on Facebook, including praise for former President Joe Biden and his policies. Former Judge Mark Cohen, a former Democratic state lawmaker who began serving [...]
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