John Padova JR
John Padova JR
Phone/Email:
Campaign Address:
Campaign Email:
Campaign Website: padovaforjudge.org
provided on this questionnaire is accurate and the opinions stated here accurately reflect my own
positions.
______________________________________________________________________________
Please complete, sign and return this via email in Word Doc format on or before February 13,
2021.
1
Specifically the following section of 207 Pa. Code § 4.1, Political and Campaign Activities of Magisterial District Judges and
Judicial Candidates in General:
The making of a pledge, promise, or commitment is not dependent upon, or limited to, the use of any specific words or phrases;
instead, the totality of the statement must be examined to determine whether the candidate for judicial office has specifically
undertaken to reach a particular result. Pledges, promises, or commitments must be contrasted with statements or
announcements of personal views on legal, political, or other issues, which are not prohibited. When making such statements, a
magisterial district judge should acknowledge the overarching judicial obligation to apply and uphold the law, without regard to
his or her personal views.
As well as the following section of 207 Pa. Code § 4.2, Political and Campaign Activities of Judicial Candidates in Public
Elections:
A judge who is a candidate for elective judicial office shall not make any statement that would reasonably be expected to affect
the outcome or impair the fairness of a matter pending or impending in any court.
response. The members and supporters of the JAT include:
Reclaim Philadelphia ICE out of Courts
LILAC Decarcerate
215 People's Alliance PA
Philadelphia Bail Fund Free the Ballot
Philadelphia Community Bail Fund One PA
Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks
Amistad Law Project Abolitionist Law Center
Coalition to Abolish Death By Incarceration Democratic First Ward
(CADBI) #No215Jail Coalition
QUESTIONS
1. What are your top three priorities if you are elected judge?
potential employers and ex-offenders along with providing guidance in handling financial
-Implicit bias – establishing programs and training for the judiciary and its staff in
2. Do you feel that implicit bias plays a role in our courts? If so, how do you think it
should be addressed?
-Yes. There should be training programs provided to the judiciary and its staff to
recognize implicit bias that exists and how to overcome implicit bias. For instance,
programs provided by Dr. Kimberly Papillon, which I have taken, which focus on
addressing our own bias and bias in others and how to be aware of and work to resolve
the same.
3. What if anything would you do as a judge to assure that neither your courtroom
-I would regularly meet with the courtroom staff to impress upon them that there is no
place for racist or sexist behavior in the courtroom. In the event that they come across
this conduct, they are to notify me so the matter can be addressed immediately. Litigants
and personnel engaging in this conduct will be subject to sanctions. Also, provide for
matters.
4. Do you believe police misconduct is a problem in our criminal justice system? How
so? What role, if any, do the courts have in addressing this issue?
-Yes. There are good and bad police officers just as in any other profession. There have
falsifying evidence, improper stop and frisks which lead to disproportionate convictions
of brown and black individuals. Since misconduct damages the truth-seeking process and
undermines public confidence, police must be held accountable for their misconduct by
the criminal justice system. These officers can be placed on the District Attorney
Office’s “No Call” list where they would be prevented from testifying.
5. In the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other unarmed
Black people by police, Philadelphia protesters have criticized the outsized PPD
budget while communities face massive divestment of resources. A 2019 study from
PICA suggested that the city could save over $7 million by making changes to
reduce police court overtime. What role, if any, do the courts have in addressing this
issue?
-Unfortunately, the courts do not have the authority to allocate funds towards community
programs and there are other ways to address reducing budgets which are not in the
courts purview. However, resolving cases without the need for unnecessary police
overtime and using the funds saved for community programs to keep children and
individuals out of the criminal justice system and for police outreach programs for the
6. Do you think our criminal justice system works? Why, or why not? If you think
there is something wrong with how it operates, name three ways you would work to
change it as a judge.
-Certain functions of the criminal system have to be fixed. The criminal justice system
can often put too much emphasis on retribution rather than rehabilitation. For instance,
implicit bias must be addressed and training programs provided to all units in the system.
Diversionary programs should be improved for substance abuse and mental health issues.
Reentry programs which help ex-offenders successfully transition into the community
should be strengthened.
7. One in three Philadelphians has a criminal record. In your opinion, how can judges
-By improving reentry programs, such programs to train and connect ex-offenders with
employers in the community who will commit to providing jobs for the offender. A
person can file a petition to expunge a criminal record. To shorten the amount of time to
8. Have you or anyone close to you ever been incarcerated? If yes, please share how it
impacted that person or you, and how it would affect your work as a judge. If no,
how do you take into consideration the impact of the decision to incarcerate
-Yes. I have and close friends have been incarcerated. I know how it feels to be accused
and have your liberties infringed upon. I know how important it is that law enforcement
has probable cause to stop you. As a judge, I review probable cause issues closely. Also,
sentence.
9. Individuals held on probation detainers account for over 50% of the city’s jail
population, and individuals are often held without signed judicial warrants. What
-Probation detainers should not be lodged without a judicial warrant which will reduce
10. Philadelphia is at the center of the opioid crisis. In order to prevent more deaths,
programs, Narcan distribution, and overdose prevention sites. What can judges do
to help expand and protect programs to combat the opioid crisis and continue to
reduce harm? How do you feel about the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
overturning the lower court’s decision that made safe injection sites in Philadelphia
legal?
order to rehabilitate individuals with substance abuse problems are extremely beneficial.
11. According to a 2019 report from the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform
(NCCPR), Philadelphia now leads the country in removing children and placing
them in foster care. What do you see as the long-term effects of this? What can
-The best interest of the child is of utmost importance for a judge to consider. We should
strive to keep children with their parents, grandparents or family members as opposed to
foster care and avoid the child being moved from foster care family to foster care family.
The reasons to remove a child from the parents and family must be thoroughly reviewed
with exhausting other alternatives geared to keeping children with their family.
12. How would you factor in a parent's drug history or criminal record in dealing with
a custody matter?
-For a criminal record or history, a judge should consider the types of crimes committed
such as whether the crime was a violent or non-violent crime, sex crime, the length of the
convictions, who the victims were and how many crimes the parent committed.
Regarding a parent’s drug history, a judge should consider the number of times the parent
was convicted of drug crimes, whether the parent completed drug programs and was able
to be rehabilitated and if the parent has the drug addiction under control. The best
interests of the child and whether the parent’s drug history or criminal history will place
13. Have you experienced or known someone who was subject to domestic violence?
What do you think the court's role should be in intervening in such situations?
-Yes. Take steps to assure that the victim is properly protected and direct them to seek
14. Noncitizens may face mandatory deportation if convicted of certain offenses. Do you
-Yes. The law should be applied fairly to non-citizens alike. I would accept immigration
15. Do you personally know anyone who is undocumented? If yes, how would this
experience shape your work as a judge? If no, how can you make decisions affecting
became a naturalized citizen. Most immigrants are hard working people supporting their
families with a love for this country and should be encouraged to obtain citizenship as
16. 86% of women who enter the Philadelphia courts have experienced some form of
trauma, and this is especially true for Black women. How would such trauma
incarceration for people who have experienced trauma, and if so, what types of
alternatives? What practices have you seen used that you appreciate?
-I would solicit the help of social service agencies to assist the women in qualifying for
non- incarceration treatment. Avoidance of jail time through diversion programs should
17. Current PA state law allows children under 18 to be prosecuted as adults in some
cases, despite growing efforts locally and nationally to remove children from the
adult system. Do you believe that children should ever be treated legally as adults?
Please explain. What, in your view, are the long-term impacts of incarcerating
-No. Incarceration of juveniles in adult jails for the long term leads to recidivism and
deters the rehabilitation needs of the children. The Juvenile system can supervise
children until 21 years old. Children under 18 years old should be adjudicated in the
Juvenile system.
18. According to EvictionLab.org, in 2016 Philadelphia led the country in eviction rates
at 3.84%, 1.14% higher than the national average. Today, as a result of the
and tenants (who are usually unrepresented) in eviction disputes. What would you
do as a judge to stop the eviction and foreclosure crisis? How can judges support the
-Administrative judges can issue a moratorium postponing the eviction process as a result
conferences in order to workout eviction issues between landlords and tenants so tenants
can remain in the property. Judges should call upon the bar association and legal aid
19. Have you or someone close to you ever been evicted or foreclosed on? If yes, please
explain and describe how this experience would affect your work as a judge. If no,
how would you make decisions that impact the community without this personal
experience?
-Yes. I have had family members and close friends who were subject to foreclosure and
eviction. I have also served as a Judge pro tempore in the Philadelphia Mortgage
foreclosure program to effectuate solutions to keep families in their homes when faced
with foreclosures. These experiences will help me in understanding and fairly consider
hardship circumstances (like Covid-19) that have affected the ability of the borrower or
20. Regardless of whether the landlord or tenant ‘wins’ an eviction case or if the case is
record that any future landlord can view online. There are close to 24,000 eviction
filings a year and tenants often have issues renting because of the record. What is
-There should be a procedure to review the recording of an eviction filing to review the
mitigating factors and reasons for the filing and to make sure the tenant is not unduly
21. Are you a landlord? If yes, how many rental properties do you own?
-No.
22. The majority of consumer debt collection cases are filed by corporate debt buyers
against unrepresented defendants and result in default judgments. What is the role
of the judiciary in ensuring due process for unrepresented defendants in these civil
matters?
-The court should make sure the defendants were properly served and put on notice of the
complaint against them in compliance with the rules of civil procedure along with
making sure they have access to adequate representation. The court discourages snap
default judgments and will set aside default judgments to hear the case on its merits.
23. In a 2015 analysis, ProPublica found that the rate of judgments stemming from
consumer debt cases was twice as high in mostly Black neighborhoods as it was in
mostly white ones. What role should the judiciary play in addressing these racial
disparities?
to see whether the defendant’s due process rights were violated, whether there was proper
service and notice given to the defendant in compliance with the rules of civil procedure.
Also, provide the defendant with an opportunity to set aside the judgment so the case can
be heard on its merits. Studies have shown that judgments entered in these cases in black
neighborhoods have resulted from a lack of compliance with appropriate civil procedure.
practices.
24. What role should judges play in making courts more transparent and accessible to
- The law in the court belongs to the people. The courts must generally be open to the
public. Court outreach programs would be beneficial in educating the community and
explaining how the court system helps the public which I would look forward in being a
part of.
25. What avenues will the Philadelphia community have to hold you accountable to the
values that you express during your campaign, if you are elected?
-The Code of Judicial Conduct applies to the accountability of Judges. The public has
access to hearings and decisions of the judges. Judicial accountability groups like JAT
should be encouraged to view the work of the courts to assure fairness to all. Also, the
retention election provides the public with an avenue to approve or disapprove of the
judge after viewing the judge’s record. The Judiciary can participate in outreach program
in the community.