Supreme Court

Panepinto Files Signatures in Independent Run for High Court

A Philadelphia judge says he's submitted more than 28,000 signatures to the Pennsylvania Department of State in an effort to become the first independent or minor-party candidate to make the state Supreme Court ballot in more than two decades.

Paul Panepinto said the Friday filing was ``the birth of a movement to restore honor'' to the seven-justice high court.

Three seats are open next year, and both major parties have selected three candidates.

The last minor party candidate to make the high court ballot was Bob Surrick of the Patriot Party in 1993.

Panepinto was a Republican for many years but is running as an independent. He lost Republican primaries for state Supreme Court in 2007 and 2009, and for Commonwealth Court in 2011.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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