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Dear
Voters,
My name is Hugh McGough
and I am running for Magisterial District
Court, serving the East End of Pittsburgh.
More people come into contact
with Magisterial District Judges, also known
as Magistrates, than with any other part
of the judiciary. In criminal cases, Magistrates
conduct all Preliminary Hearings, ruling
if the government has presented evidence
sufficient to hold a defendant for trial,
or if the charges should be dismissed. In
civil cases, Magistrates now have jurisdiction
over complaints up to $12,000, including
the trial of disputes between landlords
and tenants. Magistrates also hear summary
offenses and motor vehicle violations. Typically,
the cases are presented in rapid-fire succession,
requiring a cool head and steady analysis
of the evidence and the law.
In recent years, I have
received considerable training in Alternative
Dispute Resolution. In addition to my law
practice, I serve as a professional Mediator
for the United States District Court for
the Western District of Pennsylvania. My
skills and experience as a Mediator are
directly applicable to the duties of a Magistrate.
I have earned a reputation for integrity
and good temperament, as recognized by the
Judiciary Committee of the Allegheny County
Bar Association, which awarded me its highest
rating, “Highly Recommended,”
in my earlier bid to serve on the Court
of Common Pleas.
I am honored to have the
support of more than 150 women and men who
practice law, teach law, or use their legal
training in other fields (see "Members
of the McGough for Magisterial District
Judge Lawyers’ Committee," below).
They represent all chapters of my life,
both before and after I worked my way through
Pitt Law School 20 years ago. Some are my
mentors from the mid-sized law firm where
I started out. Some are colleagues from
the City Solicitor’s Office, where
I served under three Pittsburgh mayors.
Some I met through my pro bono work with
various non-profits. And there are lawyers
who first knew me through my brother, Tom,
or our late father, Walter T. McGough, both
esteemed members of the Allegheny County
Bar Association.
In this campaign, I have
only endeavored to make my case for election,
leaving it to the other candidates to explain
why you should vote for them. From the outset,
I have campaigned in a manner that avoids
political rhetoric and favors the higher
standards expected of the judiciary. I am
honored to have won both the Democratic
and Republican nominations in the primary
election on May 17 and humbly ask for your
vote in the general election on November
8.
Sincerely,
Hugh McGough
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Members of
the McGough for Magisterial District Judge
Lawyers’ Committee (as of January 30,
2011)
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