Biography
Judge Patrick R. Tamilia was born on April 22, 1928, in Pittsburgh. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Duquesne University, and his Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law. He served with the Marine Corps, and was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Artillery.
Judge Tamilia was elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 1969. Afterwards, he was elected for a 10-year term on the Superior Court in 1983 and was later retained for another 10-year term in 1993.
As a judge, he served on the Juvenile Judge’s Section of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges. He also was a member of the Supreme Court Domestic Relations Committee and the Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee. Judge Tamilia helped to create many treatment centers and programs for both children and parents.
His numerous awards included the Duquesne University Distinguished Alumnus Award, College of Arts and Science; Charter Membership in the Century Club of Distinguished Alumni of Duquesne University; the Columbus 500 Distinguished Citizen Award; and the ACBA Juvenile Justice Award, 1991. He held the position of Honorary National President of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America.
He authored numerous articles on juvenile delinquency, mental health and family court. In 2000, he authored Keystone of Justice, The Pennsylvania Superior Court, published by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It is available on the Pennsylvania Superior Court Historical Society website.