Max Baer | |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court | |
| In office April 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas G. Saylor |
| Succeeded by | Debra Todd |
| Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court | |
| In office January 5, 2004 – September 30, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | William H. Lamb |
| Succeeded by | Daniel McCaffery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Max Baer December 24, 1947 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | September 30, 2022 (aged 74) Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh (BA) Duquesne University (JD) Robert Morris University (MS) |
David Max Baer[1] (December 24, 1947 – September 30, 2022) was an American judge who served as a justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court from the time of his election in 2003 until his death in 2022. He was elevated to the court's most senior position, chief justice, in 2021.[2][3]
Nicknamed the "Fighting Judge"[4][5] during his quest to be elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 1989, he went on to institute a series of reforms in the court's Family Division that were replicated by courts across the United States. He was subsequently honored for his positive impact on the nation's judicial system by the President of the United States.[6]
In 2003, he was described by editors at The Philadelphia Inquirer as "a jurist with a great thirst for making the state's courts function better for all."[7]