“The PA Constitution at 250:
September 16 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
BALC LIVE SEMINAR
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
“The PA Constitution at 250:
An Overview of its Unique Aspects and Contemporary Jurisprudence”
Approved for 1 Substantive CLE Credit
Presented by:
President Judge Renée Cohn Jubelirer, (Commonwealth Court of PA)
Judge Anne E. Covey, (Commonwealth Court of PA)
Judge Matthew S. Wolf, (Commonwealth Court of PA)
Judge Stella M. Tsai, (Commonwealth Court of PA)
This program, marking Constitution Day and the approaching 250th anniversary of Pennsylvania’s first constitution, offers a timely exploration of the Commonwealth’s distinctive constitutional legacy. The program will highlight four provisions unique to the Pennsylvania Constitution:
- Education Clause (Article III, Section 14): Mandates the General Assembly to provide a thorough and efficient system of public education, shaping legislative and judicial debates over school funding and educational standards.
- Equal Rights Amendment (Article I, Section 28): Guarantees equality of rights under the law regardless of sex, with recent cases affirming its broad application to issues such as reproductive autonomy and Medicaid coverage.
- Environmental Rights Amendment (Article I, Section 27): Establishes a constitutional public trust doctrine, affirming every citizen’s right to a clean environment and the Commonwealth’s duty as trustee of natural resources.
- Election Provisions (Article I, Section 5; Article VII, Sections 1, 4, 6): Enshrine free and equal elections, define qualifications of electors, set methods of elections, and regulate election and registration laws, underpinning judicial interventions in redistricting, ballot access, and voting rights.
Judges of the Commonwealth Court – Pennsylvania’s court of constitutional interpretation – will lead lively discussions on the text and history of these provisions, their judicial interpretation, and their impact on recent and landmark cases. The session will highlight seminal cases, such as League of Women Voters v. Commonwealth (redistricting), William Penn School District v. Pennsylvania Department of Education (education funding), Robinson Township v. commonwealth (environmental rights), and Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (equal rights). Finally, panelists will address the increasing volume and significance of state constitutional litigation, emphasizing Pennsylvania’s role as a laboratory for constitutional innovation and the broader implications for legal practitioners.
Location: Barristers’ Club, 1114 W. Walnut St., Allentown, PA 18102
Timeframe: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Tuition: $47.00 to include reception of hors d’oeuvres with cash bar
To Register: E-mail: cle@lehighbar.org
Or Call Nancy @ 610.433.6401 Ext: 16