Debra Todd (born October 15, 1957) is the chief justice of the
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Unified Judicial System. It also claims to be the oldest appellate court in the United States, a claim that is disputed by the Massachusetts Supreme Ju ...
. Prior to her election to the Supreme Court in 2007, she served as a judge on the
Superior Court of Pennsylvania from 2000 through 2007. She is a member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
.
Formative years and family
Born in
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough primarily in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a small district in Beaver County. The population was 7,031 at the 2020 census. Ellwood City lies northwest of Pittsburgh and southeast of New Castle ...
on October 15, 1957 as Debra McCloskey, Debra Todd is a daughter of Harry and Blanche McCloskey. She and her sisters, Mary and Nancy, were reared in that
Wayne Township borough, which is located in
Lawrence County. Their father was a steelworker.
She is married to Stephen K. Todd, a former attorney for the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
who retired from the
U.S. Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 20 ...
at the rank of colonel, and who had been an attorney for U.S. Steel for thirty-one years before retiring in 2007 as vice president of law and environmental affairs.
Education
A 1975 graduate of
Lincoln High School in Ellwood City, Todd was awarded a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degree with honors from
Chatham College
Chatham University is a private university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Originally founded as a women's college, it began enrolling men in undergraduate programs in 2015. It enrolls about 2,110 students, including 1,002 undergraduate students an ...
in 1979, served on the Law Review in 1982 at the
University of Pittsburgh School of Law
The University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Pitt Law) was founded in 1895. It became a charter member of the Association of American Law Schools in 1900. Its primary home facility is the Barco Law Building. The school offers four degrees: Master ...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she earned her
Juris Doctor that same year, and was then awarded a
Master of Laws
A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...
from the
University of Virginia School of Law in 2004.
Legal career
Todd worked in private practice from 1982 to 1999. During the fall of 1999, she ran for, and was elected to the position of, judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, serving from January 17, 2000, to December 31, 2007. She was elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 2007.
On May 19, 2017, Todd delivered the Charles Widger School of Law’s 2017 Commencement Address at Villanova University, and was also awarded the Villanova Law Medallion Award in recognition of her achievements.
On October 1, 2022, she became the first female chief justice of the state Supreme Court, replacing
Max Baer who died a day earlier. Roughly three weeks later, she issued her first major letter to Pennsylvania attorneys, in which she urged them to support pro bono legal work across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Publications
Todd's list of publications includes:
*Report and Recommendations of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Elder Law Task Force (Chair), 2014
*“Sentencing of Adult Offenders in Crimes Involving the Sexual Abuse of Children, Too Little, Too Late? A View from the Pennsylvania Bench.” 109 Penn State Law Review 487, 2004
Awards and honors
Todd has been the recipient of the following awards:
["Chief Justice Debra Todd]," The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.]
*Susan B. Anthony Award for promoting equality in the legal profession, Women’s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania, 2017
*Visionary Award in recognition of an individual who has made a significant impact in the lives of survivors of sexual violence, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, 2016
*Judge Robert E. Dauer Award for Judicial Leadership and Excellence, Amen Corner, 2015
*225th Anniversary Medallion recognizing alumni who have built better lives through their life’s work, University of Pittsburgh, 2013
*Marjorie Matson Woman of the Year Award, Women's Association, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2013
*Tribute to Women Leadership Award in Business & Professional Services, Greater Pittsburgh YWCA, 2013
*Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Pittsburgh Law Alumni Association, 2012
*Philip Werner Amram Award for Professional Excellence, Allegheny County Bar Association, 2010
*Cornerstone Award for Law, Chatham University, 2009
*Honorary Doctorate in Public Service, Chatham University, 2008
*Celebrate & Share Women of Achievement Award, 2008
*Woman of the Year Award, The Legal Intelligencer Women in the Profession, 2007-2008
*Woman of the Year, Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women, 2007
References
External links
Superior Court ProfileDebra Todd Project Vote Smart ProfileDebra Todd Smart Voter Profile*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Todd, Debra
1957 births
20th-century American lawyers
21st-century American judges
21st-century American lawyers
21st-century American women judges
Chatham University alumni
Chief Justices of Pennsylvania
Living people
Judges of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Justices of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Democrats
People from Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburgh School of Law alumni
University of Virginia School of Law alumni
Women chief justices of state supreme courts in the United States