DeSales Celebrates Constitution Day with Commonwealth Court Judge Visit

Students filled the Gambet Center auditorium on Constitution Day to hear Judge Stella Tsai of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania offer an insider's perspective on Pennsylvania's court system and the role of judges in interpreting the law. Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787, and serves as an opportunity to promote civic education and a deeper understanding of the nation's systems of government.

Judge Tsai's visit was part of a civic education initiative organized by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's court system, which invited judges to area colleges and universities while the court was in the Lehigh Valley to hear appellate arguments at the Lehigh County Courthouse. Through programs like this, Pennsylvania judges help foster public understanding of the judiciary by engaging directly with students and community members, offering insight into the courts' role in interpreting and applying the law.

"DeSales is grateful for the opportunity to be part of this civic education program offered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's court system," said Jennifer Moore, J.D., professor, pre-law professions advisor, and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Government Studies. "Hearing directly from Judge Stella Tsai gave our students a unique perspective on topics they regularly study in the classroom. The experience helped bridge theory and practice while providing valuable insight into the work of Pennsylvania's judiciary."

Judge Tsai opened with an overview of the court she joined in January 2026, the first Asian American judge to serve on it. Established in 1968, the Commonwealth Court is unlike any other court in the nation. It hears cases involving state and local government and regulatory agencies, and it also functions as a trial court when lawsuits are filed by or against the Commonwealth, a combination no other state replicates.

The discussion turned to what makes Pennsylvania's constitution distinct from its federal counterpart. Judge Tsai walked students through the education clause, the state Equal Rights Amendment, and the free and equal elections clause, explaining how each has been interpreted by the courts and why the elections clause in particular carries weight in Pennsylvania's contemporary election litigation. She also drew on her own passion as an advocate helping people secure and protect the right to vote.

Students then had a chance to ask questions, and the exchange ranged widely: How does a judge guard against personal bias? What actually separates a trial court from an appellate court? How does someone become a judge in Pennsylvania? Is it difficult to have a decision reversed on appeal? What is better about being a judge than practicing law?

Judge Tsai answered candidly, describing the weight she places on the work and the care she brings to sentencing decisions with attention to data, to the programming and support needed for the people most at risk of returning to the system. When asked about the best part of the job, she offered a lighter answer: her superpower, she said, is that she gets to marry people.

For the pre-law students in the room, she had direct advice. If law interests you, go to law school. The profession needs people who care about what they are doing, and the effort is worth it. Stick with it through the hard parts. Judge Tsai earned her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 1988.

"It was really interesting hearing a judge's perspective on our current legal system and how we all can succeed with careers in criminal justice," said Bailey Totino '28, a criminal justice and philosophy major.