HARRISBURG, Pa. — A family court judge from Philadelphia has been placed on unpaid suspension for the final three months of his tenure after the Court of Judicial Discipline ruled that his politically charged posts on social media breached the behavioral expectations for judges.
On Monday, the disciplinary court announced its decision against Common Pleas Judge Mark B. Cohen, who had previously spent over forty years serving as a Democratic state representative before ascending to the bench.
The court’s opinion and order criticized Cohen for his persistent sharing of internet content reflecting his personal political views, despite being warned against such actions. Cohen’s attorney, Sam Stretton, indicated on Tuesday that he intends to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court. He portrayed Cohen as an avid reader and someone well-versed on public matters, noting that the judge altered his blogging practices to remove candidate endorsements following his judicial appointment more than six years ago.
Stretton emphasized the importance of judges being able to express themselves cautiously, as long as they do not comment on cases within their jurisdiction, or similar matters.
In an opinion released in May, the court cited numerous Facebook posts made by Cohen. These included statements referring to President Joe Biden as an “excellent president,” support for Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s approach amid impeachment discussions, and calls for increased domestic spending as opposed to military expenditures.
The court remarked, “Judge Cohen represents all judges in Pennsylvania and holds a responsibility to ensure that the public does not question whether judges adhere to the extreme views he expresses.”
At 75 years old, which is the mandatory retirement age for judges, Cohen’s judicial career is set to conclude when his suspension ends on December 31.
