Philadelphia Judge Alice Beck Dubow will be sworn in as a judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania at 3:30 p.m. on January 15.
The historic oath-taking ceremony will take place in Courtroom 653 at Philadelphia City Hall. Judge Dubow’s mother, retired Superior Court Judge Phyllis W. Beck — who was sworn into office on the Superior Court in 1981 in the same courtroom — will administer the oath of office.
“It is an honor and privilege for me to be taking the oath of office from the first woman elected to the Superior Court, who, I’m proud to say, is also my mother,” Judge Dubow said. “It's also significant because I believe we have made great strides in moving beyond the notion that a woman on the state’s highest courts is unique.”
Jurists from all three Pennsylvania appellate courts and the Philadelphia Courts of Common Pleas are expected to attend, as are U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. and former Gov. Edward G. Rendell.
Judge Dubow was elected to a 10-year term on the Superior Court in the Nov. 4, 2015, General Election. She follows in the footsteps of her mother, who first was appointed to the bench in 1981 before becoming the first woman elected to the Superior Court in 1983.
Judge Dubow has served on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas since her election in 2007, presiding over bench and jury trials in the criminal, civil and juvenile divisions. Before that, she worked as a law clerk, an attorney in private practice, the Divisional Deputy City Solicitor for Philadelphia and Deputy General Counsel for Drexel University.
Judge Dubow has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Volunteers for Indigent Persons, Carson Valley Children's Aid and the Beck Institute. She and her husband, Rob, have two adult children, Ben and Rebecca.
Superior Court is one of two intermediate appellate courts. It is primarily responsible for appeals in criminal and most civil cases from Pennsylvania’s Courts of Common Pleas. The court also hears appeals in matters involving children and families.
The ceremony will be live streamed on www.pcntv.com while a taped broadcast will be carried later on the Pennsylvania Cable Television Network.
