HARRISBURG, March 13, 2015 – Underscoring her leadership and reputation as someone who fights for families, women and the less fortunate, Sen. Judy Schwank has been appointed to serve on a commission that’s charged with making sure fairness and equal justice are applied in Pennsylvania’s court system.

Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa appointed Schwank to a two-year term this week on the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness.

“We know the hand of justice is usually sensible and right. At times, though, it needs oversight and redirection,” Sen. Schwank said. “I thank Sen. Costa for giving me this opportunity to work with a well-established organization, and I am looking forward to lending my voice and ideas for the equal application of the law.”

The panel emerged when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered the “Supreme Court Committee on Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System” to embark on a three-year study in 1999 gauging the effect of race and gender bias in the justice system.

Since its inception, the 24-member Interbranch Commission has earned a reputation as a model for the nation’s courts and it has:

  • Devised a statewide policy for the Pennsylvania courts on Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity,
  • Played a critical role in the passage of landmark legislation on the provision of interpreter services in the courts and administrative agencies, and
  • Produced a key report on enhancing the safety of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Pennsylvania’s courthouses.

The Commission meets quarterly in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Harrisburg.

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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.