Justice Seamus P. McCaffery was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on June 3, 1950. In 1955, his parents, Seamus and Rita McCaffery, brought the family to the United States and since that time, Justice McCaffery has called Philadelphia his home. Justice McCaffery has made a career of serving his city, commonwealth and country, for a combined 74 years of public service.

Justice McCaffery began his 40-year military career immediately upon his graduation from Cardinal Dougherty High School in 1968, when he joined the United States Marines. After his tour of active duty, Justice McCaffery became a reservist, serving in the Marine Corps Reserve for 15 years, rising to the rank of Captain. He then transferred to the United States Air Force Reserve, where he became the Commanding Officer of the 913th Security Police Squadron, and later attained the rank of Colonel. Justice McCaffery was mobilized in support of Operation Noble Eagle after the September 11th attacks, and served as the Regional Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer for Homeland Defense until his recent retirement after 40 years of service. He is the recipient of numerous military honors and medals, including 5 Meritorious Service Medals, the War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.

After completing his active military service, Justice McCaffery returned home and joined the Philadelphia Police Department. During his 20 years on the police force he served as a patrolman, a plainclothes Vice/Narcotics investigator, and as a detective in the Homicide and Major Crimes Divisions. His distinguished law enforcement career included several high-profile murder investigations, and he rose to the rank of supervisor before retiring as a highly-decorated veteran in 1989.

While working full-time as a police officer, Justice McCaffery also earned a Bachelor’s degree from La Salle University, and then his Juris Doctor degree from Temple University School of Law. Upon entering the legal profession, he joined the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Washington, D. C. bars, and worked as a litigator at one of Philadelphia’s premier law firms.

In 1993, Justice McCaffery became the first retired Philadelphia Police officer ever elected as a trial judge in Philadelphia County. During his decade on the trial court bench, Justice McCaffery won local and national acclaim for creating and volunteering his services for such innovative programs as Nuisance Night Court, Graffiti Court and “Eagles Court,” the National Football League’s first and only court, conducted during the Philadelphia Eagles’ home games. These accomplishments earned him the label of “Philadelphia’s Quality of Life Justice.”

In October 2001, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed him the Administrative Judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court, one of the largest courts in the country. In his capacity as Administrative Judge, Justice McCaffery introduced new programs for drug and domestic violence offenders, and those with mental health issues. He streamlined the operations of the court and structured court-wide procedural reforms which improved the court’s efficiency and the delivery of its services to the citizenry.

Justice McCaffery served for four years on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania prior to his election to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in November 2007, where he currently serves as a Justice. Justice McCaffery is a regular keynote speaker across Pennsylvania for professional, civic, military, law enforcement and fraternal organizations, addressing topics such as appellate advocacy, the role and function of the courts, and judicial independence. He is a faculty member of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, a frequent guest lecturer at the Philadelphia Police Academy, and gives generously of his time to numerous charitable organizations. He is an honorary board member of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee; the Pennsylvania March of Dimes; and Liberty USO, the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Justice McCaffery is the proud father of three sons, Sean, Jim, and Brian, and the devoted grandfather of Morgan, Delaney, Carleigh, Conor and Noel. The Justice is also an avid motorcycle enthusiast.

Justice McCaffery has been the recipient of numerous military and law enforcement awards, medals and decorations, as well as civic and professional awards. Justice McCaffery and his wife, Lise Rapaport, Esquire, continue to make their home in Philadelphia.