With the election on Tuesday of Judge Joan Orie Melvin to a seat on the state Supreme Court, Pennsylvania would restore the one-seat GOP majority on the state's highest court.

Ordinarily, this would not be such a big deal &tstr; judges are supposed to be nonpartisan. But in today's highly charged political atmosphere, party affiliation is an indicator of the direction the Court is likely to go.

With Melvin, now a Superior Court judge, it's clear where she would stand as a Supreme Court justice: She'll interpret the existing law, not create new law.

"I go where the law leads me...," she says of her conservative judicial philosophy.

Melvin's journey through the legal profession has been impressive.

A graduate of Notre Dame who received her law degree from Duquesne University, Melvin practiced law for five years before being appointed a Pittsburgh city magistrate in 1985.

Two years later, as chief magistrate, she founded a domestic violence court &tstr; a first for Pennsylvania. Then came an appointment to county Common Pleas Court, from which she was elected to a full term a year later.

In 1997, she was elected to Superior Court, and was retained by the voters two years ago.

Through it all, Melvin has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues in the courtroom and on the bench.

Melvin became widely known to the public for her stand against the controversial 2005 legislative pay raise. She refused to accept the judicial portion of pay raise (the Legislature repelled its part), and continues to return to the state treasury the after-tax portion of all salary increases granted since then.

Melvin was alone among her contemporaries in taking such a bold stand.

The high court's political balance could also figure in the decennial redrawing of legislative districts, which will follow the 2010 census. How much? It's hard to say.

But we'd rather have a strict-constructionist judge like Orie Melvin helping keep tabs on the process, to avoid any legislative shenanigans in Harrisburg.

Melvin's election could affect the balance in another way: gender.

If Melvin wins, the Supreme Court will remain comprised of five men and two women. For women, that's not a particularly good ratio.

The political or gender balance of the Supreme Court, and its significance, is up for debate.

What is inarguably true is that Judge Joan Orie Melvin is a highly qualified candidate &tstr; and trailblazer &tstr; who would be an outstanding Supreme Court justice.

The New Era urges that you vote for Judge Joan Orie Melvin for Pennsylvania Supreme Court.