About Judge Klein

Judge Richard B. Klein, who was the youngest judge in Pennsylvania history when first on the bench, has completed thirty-fourth year of judicial service. Judge Klein serves on the appeals court of Pennsylvania, the Superior Court. His first 28 were on the trial bench of the busy Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia, serving in all assignments.

In his time on the bench, he has distinguished himself with clear, to-the-point opinions, not always in the majority but always urging the court to consider its role in assuring that litigants are treated fairly and the substantive law is followed. Much of the slant of his opinions reflects his work as a trial judge in the “pit” of Philadelphia courts as he reviews on appeal the work of the judges performing the same function he carried out for 28 years.

When running for the Superior Court, after visiting every county, Judge Richard B. Klein was elected to the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Klein not only won the endorsements of all the major Pennsylvania newspapers, and the highest rating (Highly Recommended) from the Pennsylvania Bar, he was also the top vote getter in the election.

In addition to his work on the bench, Judge Klein is active in many committees to improve the justice system, including serving as founding co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Plain English Committee, Vice Chair of the Pennsylvania Futures Committee on Justice in the 21st Century, and a member Bar Committees on appellate advocacy, appellate rules, alternative dispute resolution, and others. He has written widely and regularly teaches continuing legal education programs.

He has served as education leader for legal-study tours all over the world for over twenty years. He is known as a jazz drummer and bandleader, leading the “Fifth Amendment” and “Reading Terminals.”