Seamus McCaffery

Honorable Seamus P. McCaffery
Justice of Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2008
Justice of Superior Court of Pennsylvania
In office
January 2004 – January 2008
Administrative Judge of Philadelphia County Municipal Court
In office
2001–2004
Judge of Philadelphia County Municipal Court
In office
1993–2001
Personal details
Born June 3, 1950 (1950-06-03) (age 61)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Nationality  Ireland[1]
 United Kingdom[2]
 United States
Political party Democratic Party
Alma mater Temple University Beasley School of Law, J.D., 1989
La Salle University, B.A., 1977
Profession Police officer
Website Official Website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Service/branch Marine Corps
Years of service 1968-1985
Rank Captain

Seamus McCaffery (born June 3, 1950) is a Justice on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his election to the Supreme Court, he was a judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and a municipal court judge in Philadelphia. He was the judge at "Eagles Court", an ad hoc court created to deal with unruly fans at Philadelphia Eagles games.

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Personal

McCaffery was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1950. His family emigrated to the United States when he was five. [3] He graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia and joined the United States Marine Corps.

After leaving active duty, McCaffery joined the Marine Corps Reserve and joined the Philadelphia Police Department. He served in the police department for 20 years, rising to Sergeant. While a police officer, McCaffery put himself through university at LaSalle University and law school at Temple University. [4]

He recently retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and is also a 33° Mason. [5]

Judicial career

In 1993, McCaffery won election to Municipal Court in Philadelphia. With support from members of the city council, he developed Eagles Court in 1998 in response to a 1997 Monday Night Football game between the Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. With over 60 fistfights reported at the nationally televised game, stadium violence became an embarrassment for the city. McCaffery presided over the court, which was convened in the basement of Veterans Stadium, and handed out fines or jail time to fans arrested during games. [6]

He was elected to the Superior Court in 2003[7] and successfully ran for the Supreme Court in 2007.[8]

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