The records of the Judiciary Committee from the 1997-1998 session, the Republicans in majority. The Chairs were Thomas P. Gannon (Majority) and Thomas R. Caltagirone (Minority). The Chairs of the Subcommittee on Courts were Daniel F. Clark (Majority) and Frank Dermody (Minority). The Chairs of the Subcommittee on Crime and Corrections were Jerry Birmelin (Majority) and Harold James (Minority). The Secretaries were Brett Feese (Majority) and Joseph A. Petrarca (Minority).

The meetings and public hearings for the session included a variety of topical issues starting with the filing of five impeachment petitions with the House Judiciary Committee. The full committee held several public hearings dealing with a variety of issues ranging from the death penalty to the State Supreme Court’s suspension of the acts of the General Assembly. Another public hearing was held by the full judiciary committee on Girard College and the City Board of Trusts relative to an inquiry into their financial accounts, etc. A tour of Girard College was also conducted by the full committee in conjunction with the aforesaid public hearing. The full committee also toured the following facilities throughout the Commonwealth: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hanover Shoe Farms and Girardville Coal Company.

The Subcommittee on Courts held several public hearings regarding the State Supreme Court’s suspension of the acts of the General Assembly, while the Subcommittee on Crime and Corrections held three public hearings on recent inmate escapes from the State Correctional Institution at Pittsburgh. The subcommittee also toured this facility in conjunction with the public hearing. The subcommittee ultimately submitted a report to the House Judiciary Committee chairman on the recent inmate escapes at Pittsburgh. This subcommittee also held two public hearings on women’s prison issues as well as two public hearings on restitution as it related to the amending of Titles 18 and 42. The subcommittee conducted two other separate public hearings dealing with the issues of prisoner accommodations and the unauthorized use or disclosure of personal identifying information. This particular subcommittee conducted several tours of the following facilities: State Correctional Institutions at Cambridge Springs, Chester and Retreat as well as the Department of Corrections Training Academy.

The Task Force on Domestic Relations held three public hearings on the issues of custody, family court reform and economic justice for dependent spouses in conjunction with a tour of the Family Court Division of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. A final report was issued by the task force to Chairman Gannon. The Task Force on Intermediate Punishment conducted a seminar on Pennsylvania Commission on sentencing on drug and alcohol treatment issues in conjunction with a tour of the Mirmont Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facility. The task force also conducted tours of the Dauphin County Community Corrections Center and Tracking Systems Corporation. A report was issued by this task force to Chairman Gannon relative to two public hearings held on the issue of intermediate punishment. The Task Force on Judicial Campaign Financing held a public hearing on the issue of judicial campaign expenditures.