PA Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer Dies

PENNSYLVANIA — Max Baer, the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and author of numerous election-related opinions on decisions that impacted national politics in recent years, died over the weekend. He was 74.

“This is a tremendous loss for the Court and all of Pennsylvania," Justice Debra Todd, who will become the new chief justice, said in a statement.

A cause of death was not immediately announced. A replacement on the court will be chosen by the next governor of Pennsylvania, either Democrat Josh Shapiro or Republican Doug Mastriano.

Baer was slated to be replaced in a few short months, as the Court has a mandatory retirement age of 75.

A public memorial service is set for Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. at Duquesne University Power Center. The event will take place in the Charles J. Dougherty ballroom, on the fifth floor of the building. A live stream of the event will be available online here.

"Chief Justice Baer was an influential and intellectual jurist whose unwavering focus was on administering fair and balanced justice," Todd added. "He was a tireless champion for children, devoted to protecting and providing for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens."

A Democrat, Baer helmed the party's 5-2 majority on the court. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 2003 and was named chief justice in 2021 following the retirement of Thomas Saylor.

Baer either led or had an influential voice on numerous decisions pertaining to election law, ranging from cases connected to the 2020 election all the way up to this summer's decision reaffirming the state's mail-in voting law.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University, and Dusquene University, Baer is survived by his wife, two children and five grandchildren.