Judge John F. Cherry appointed as Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas President Judge

HARRISBURG, PA (December 30, 2019) – Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas Judge John F. Cherry has been unanimously elected by the 10-member county court to serve as its 27th President Judge. His five-year term will begin on Jan. 1, 2020.  He will succeed current President Judge Richard A. Lewis whose five-year term concludes at year’s end.

Cherry, 68, was first elected to the bench in 1999 and retained in November of 2009 and 2019, marking his third 10-year term on the Court of Common Pleas. He currently handles civil and dependency matters.

Cherry previously served as Dauphin County District Attorney and Deputy District Attorney, Deputy Attorney General under Leroy Zimmerman, and Dean of Students, teacher, and coach at Elk County Catholic High School in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania.

He is the son of the late Judge John A. and Theresa M. Cherry. He graduated from DuBois High School in 1969, Gannon University in 1973, and the Dickinson School of Law in 1983.

Cherry is married to Camille Kostelac Cherry, Esq., and has two sons, United States Marine Corps Lt. Col. John R. Cherry and Vincent J. Cherry.

Lewis, 72, also served as President Judge from 2005 to 2010.  He will continue to serve on the court in the criminal trial division.

Both Cherry and Lewis previously served as the county’s District Attorney: Lewis from 1980 to 1994 and Cherry from 1994 to 2000.

Under the Pennsylvania Constitution, courts with eight or more common pleas judges, such as Dauphin County with ten, elect a President Judge to a five-year term. In courts with fewer than eight judges, the President Judge is the most senior judge in terms of service.