Ex-Pennsylvania Justice Says State Violated Her Constitutional Rights

PITTSBURGH (AP) - A former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice convicted of using state-paid staff for campaign activities says the state violated her constitutional rights.

The state found in November that the 2013 convictions for Joan Orie Melvin were constitutional. The Marshall woman responded to that finding on Friday in federal court documents.

The response says there are no rules requiring judicial staffers to account for their time and that how they spend their time can't be considered a misuse of state resources.

Melvin is seeking to overturn her convictions due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct, improper withholding of evidence, and illegal search and seizure of her emails.

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office declined comment.

A hearing in the case hasn't been scheduled.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)