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Justice Donohue said there was never a time in her
service that " I have seen anything other than his desire
to make certain that this Court was the best that it could
be, and more importantly, that I could be the best that
I could be. " Justice Donohue went on to say that most
people know that when Justice Dougherty, Justice Wecht
and she came on the Court, " those of you know the three
of us know that he had his hands full. Not one of us is
shy or retiring. " The Court over the past five and one-half
years has had many public, controversial cases. " We work
through them all collegially. We never walk away from
a decision with personal animosity, and it is a tribute
to Chief Justice Tom Saylor that that was the case. "
Justice Donohue concluded by referring to the personal
relationship she has with Tom Saylor. Tom Saylor took
the time last summer to " help me find a puppy, to replace
the much-loved dog I lost during the pandemic. I say
this and it really brings tears to eyes. I mean, he literally
found me a puppy. "
Justice Todd confirmed the sentiments of prior
speakers. She said she first got to know Tom Saylor
when they were classmates in the LLM Program at the
University of Virginia. She says, " it was startling to me
how smart he was. He is intimidating in his intellect. He
is truly a legal scholar and a historian, and yet, he is so
humble and so kind, he is calm. He has a steady hand.
He is a leader that we've all looked up to and respected
during our service on the Court with him. My fourteen
years with you, Tom, have truly been a joy. "
All of the speakers credited Tom Saylor with restoring
the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to the distinguished
status it has enjoyed throughout its history as the oldest
Supreme Court in the United States (William Penn
established the Provincial Court of Pennsylvania in 1684
and the Supreme Court was codified by the Judiciary Act
of May 22, 1722).
Chief Justice Baer concluded the proceedings by
announcing that the Supreme Court " enthusiastically and
unanimously agreed to award the title of Chief Justice
Emeritus to Tom Saylor beginning January 2022. Justice
Saylor will remain involved with the Court doing judicial
education and will continue as counselor and friend to
the remaining members of the Court. " This is thought to
be the first time that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
formally awarded the title of Chief Justice Emeritus.
There followed a much-deserved standing ovation
from a packed Supreme Court Courtroom.
God save the Commonwealth and this
Honorable Court.
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New Matter | 29
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