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Luzerne County

Press Releases
August 26, 2010
Federal judge denies key defendants' motions to dismiss in civil rights cases

May 27, 2010
Question Remains: When Will Recommendations Become Law and Policy?

March 18, 2010

January 25, 2010

January 04, 2010

November 20, 2009
Judges Not Dismissed from Lawsuit

October 29, 2009

October 29, 2009

August 24, 2009

August 12, 2009

August 10, 2009

August 08, 2009

August 03, 2009

July 17, 2009

June 10, 2009

May 11, 2009

April 27, 2009

March 26, 2009

February 26, 2009
Suit Seeks Financial Redress for All Children Adjudicated Delinquent by Ciavarella 2003–2008

February 12, 2009

February 11, 2009

January 29, 2009
Hundreds of Youth Potential Victims of Ciavarella Corruption Scheme

December 22, 2008
Hundreds of Luzerne County Youth Denied Lawyers in Juvenile Court

June 17, 2008


Background
In early 2007, Juvenile Law Center attorneys began to investigate irregularities in Luzerne County, as they heard from youth who were adjudicated delinquent (found guilty) in the County juvenile court. Read more...

Legal Documents


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Conahan Plea Agreement—April 29, 2010

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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony of youth and families)—April 1, 2010



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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony from representatives of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Pennsylvania For Modern Courts, and the Judicial Conduct Board)—February 2, 2010
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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony from representatives of the York County Public Defender’s Office, National Juvenile Defender Center, Equal Justice Works, Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth and Family Services, American Bar Association, and Victim Resource Center)—February 1, 2010
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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony from representatives of the Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, National Center For Juvenile Justice, and Mental Health Association of Pennsylvania)—January 22, 2010
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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony from representatives of the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, Juvenile Law Center, the Department of Public Welfare, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education)—January 21, 2010

January 29, 2010
PA Supreme Court addresses Judicial Conduct Board disclosure to Interbranch Commission.
In Re: Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice, Application of: Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania, No. 53 WM 2009:

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Majority Opinion (Castille)

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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony of the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania, the Judicial Conduct Board, Luzerne County Commissioners, and an assistant district attorney)—December 8, 2009
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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript (Testimony of school officials, an assistant district attorney, assistant public defenders, probation officials, youth, and families)—December 7, 2009
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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript—(Testimony of Judge Arthur E. Grim, Joseph A. Massa, Jr., and Sandra Brulo)—November 9, 2009
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Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice Hearing Transcript— (Testimony of Judge David W. Lupas, Jacqueline Musto Carroll, Basil G. Russin, and John Johnson)—November 10, 2009
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Amended Master Complaint—August 28, 2009
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JLC's Motion for Preservation—Dated: July 17, 2009
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Exhibits A–O—Dated: June 10, 2009
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Supreme Court Order — Regarding First Interim Report and Recommendations of the Special Master, Dated: March 26, 2009
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JLC's Federal Civil Rights Action—filed Feb 26, 2009: H.T. et al. v. Ciavarella et al.
April 28, 2008 JLC Application to PA Supreme Court:

In the News

In the Aftermath: The legal community weighs how to respond to the interbranch commission report on corruption in Luzerne County juvenile court, Don Sarvey, The Pennsylvania Lawyer, 9/07/10

Luzerne County must turn over juvenile records, judge says, Dave Janoski, The Times Tribune, 9/03/10

Cefalo agrees with juvie dismissal ruling, Mark Guydish, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 8/28/10

Federal Judge's Ruling Sets Landscape for 'Kids-for-Cash' Civil Suits, Leo Strupczewski, Legal Intelligencer, 8/27/10

Wives of former judges dismissed from suits, Michael Sisak, Citizens Voice, 8/27/10

New juvie unit touted as 'model for state', Mark Guydish, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 8/25/10

Complaints Piled Up Against Judges, Dave Janoski, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 8/22/10

Lessons learned from Luzerne judges 'cash-for-kids' scandal, , WHYY, 5/28/10

Sestak calls for juvenile justice reform, Michael R. Sisak, Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, 5/11/10

State conduct board hears of missed clues in 'cash for kids' scam, Tracie Mauriello, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau, 4/13/10

Families recount juvie experience, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 4/02/10

Restoring justice takes group effort, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 3/31/10

Juvenile Law Center asks for changes to Luzerne system, The Scranton Times Tribune, 3/19/10

JLC seeking improvements in juvie laws, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 3/19/2010

No repeat of juvie scandal the goal, Mark Guydish, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 2/2/10

An advocate for juveniles, Terry Morgan-Besecker, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 1/31/10

Judicial board must turn over complaint, Michael Rubinkam, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 1/31/10

Limited power, resources hampered judicial misconduct investigation, Michael R. Sisak, The Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice, 1/16/10

Judge rejects ex-judges' attempt to delay civil suits, Michael R. Sisak, The Hazleton Standard Speaker, 1/14/10

Immunity for judges not an end for families analysis, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 11/22/09

Court system gone awry, Mark Guydish, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 11/11/09

Bringing justice to them all, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 11/2/09

Opinion: Vacated cases vindicate justice, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 11/1/09

How juvie scandal was uncovered, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 10/31/09

All Ciavarella juvie convictions vacated, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 10/30/09

Pennsylvania Overturns Many Youths’ Convictions, Ian Urbina, The New York Times, 10/30/09

Parents thrilled by court ruling, Jen Marckini, The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, 10/30/09

Town Without Pity, Wendy N. Davis, ABA Journal, September 2009

Conahan and Ciavarella indicted by federal grand jury, The Times Leader, 9/9/09

Judges withdraw guilty pleas, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Times Leader, 8/25/09

Judge: Void juvenile convictions, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Times Leader, 8/13/09

Luzerne judge recommends tossing convictions, Walter F. Roche Jr., Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 8/13/09

Order maintains juvie records, Terrie Morgan-Besecker, The Times Leader, 8/8/09

Rendell Signs Juvenile Justice Law, Scott Schaffer, WNEP-TV, 8/7/09

Plea Agreement by 2 Judges Is Rejected in Pennsylvania , Ian Urbina, The New York Times, 7/31/09

Court: Preserve juvie records, Michael Rubinkaim, Times Leader, 7/23/09

Pa. youths want tainted convictions tossed, Michael Rubinkaim, The Associated Press, 7/17/09

Young Lives Ruined, People Magazine, 4/13/09

Video: Kids Jailed for Cash?, ABC’s 20/20, 3/27/09

Despite Red Flags About Judges, a Kickback Scheme Flourished, Ian Urbina, The New York Times, 3/27/09

A Judge's Victims, Interactive Media, The New York Times, 3/26/09

More news and media...

Juvenile Law Center
1315 Walnut Street, 4th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Local: 215-625-0551
Toll free: 1-800-875-8887
Fax: 215-625-2808
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