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The Disciplinary Board’s list of recent Supreme Court actions (last 60 days) has become a veritable whose who of the Pennsylvania judiciary and body politic, with the suspensions of Mark Ciaverella and Jane Orie and the retroactive disbarment of Michael Joyce.  Ciaverella, famous for his part in the “kids for cash” scandal has recently appealed his conviction, and former state senator Orie has also appealed her conviction (Jane’s sister Joan is waiting her own trial on similar charges).

You may remember Joyce as the Superior Court judge accused of faking an injury to defraud insurance companies of $440,000 while still scuba diving and golfing in Florida and Jamaica, and piloting a plane he bought, with the insurance money.  The Disciplinary Board cited the trust placed in judges in recommending disbarment.  Joyce will apparently be released from a half-way-house in August.

-Josh J.T. Byrne, Esquire