Michael Marmo

Although he lost his bid for nomination in the spring primary election, a local attorney will become a judge in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas long before anyone who ran against him.

Michael F. Marmo of Ohio Township has been approved by the state senate to fill the unexpired term of Judge Robert P. Horgos, who resigned May 1.

Under state law, the governor has the authority to appoint a replacement for the duration of the unexpired term. Marmo’s nomination was approved at the gubernatorial level, and on July 21 the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to consider Marmo’s appointment. In a vote at the close of the hearing, Marmo received unanimous bipartisan support from the committee. The Pennsylvania Senate formally approved the appointment by a vote of 50-0 on July 28. Subsequent to his taking the oath of office in September, Marmo will serve as a sitting judge at least until 2012.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Pitt's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs with a master's degree in public administration, Marmo obtained his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law. In addition to his private law practice and serving as solicitor for several municipalities, including Emsworth, Marmo was the deputy recorder of deeds for Allegheny County. He currently teaches real estate law as an adjunct professor at Duquesne Law School, and has been an instructor in the paralegal program at Community College of Allegheny County.

In 1995, he was appointed a special master on the board of viewers, and has since ruled on thousands of cases involving issues of assessment appeal and eminent domain.

“I think this position has given me invaluable experience in rendering legal rulings based on the facts and evidence presented to me, maintaining a sense of impartial justice, and ensuring that every single person who comes before me is treated with compassion and dignity,” Marmo said.

Marmo and his wife Kathy have two children, Anthony, 26, and Christina, 24.