Mike Fisher | |
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| Senior Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit | |
| Assumed office February 1, 2017 | |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit | |
| In office December 15, 2003 – February 1, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Carol Los Mansmann |
| Succeeded by | David Porter |
| 43rdAttorney General of Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 21, 1997 – December 15, 2003 | |
| Governor | Tom Ridge Mark Schweiker Ed Rendell |
| Preceded by | Tom Corbett |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Pappert |
| Member of thePennsylvania Senate from the37th district | |
| In office January 6, 1981 – November 30, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Michael P. Schaefer |
| Succeeded by | Tim Murphy |
| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the40th district | |
| In office January 7, 1975 – November 19, 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Jay R. Wells |
| Succeeded by | Frank Marmion |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dennis Michael Fisher (1944-11-07)November 7, 1944 (age 81) Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA,JD) |
Dennis Michael Fisher (born November 7, 1944) is aseniorUnited States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He also serves as the Distinguished Jurist in Residence at theUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Law.[1] A former politician, Fisher has served as a state representative, state senator, and as Attorney General of Pennsylvania. He was the Republican nominee for Governor of Pennsylvania in2002, losing toEd Rendell.
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Fisher began his legal career in his hometown of Pittsburgh following his graduation fromGeorgetown University with anArtium Baccalaureus degree in 1966 andGeorgetown University Law Center with aJuris Doctor in 1969.
As an Assistant District Attorney forAllegheny County, he handled nearly 1,000 cases, including 25 homicides. He continued to practice law during his career in the General Assembly and was a shareholder or partner in various firms, including Houston Harbaugh, where he practiced from 1984 to 1997. Fisher’s law practice included civil litigation, commercial law, estate planning and real estate.
Before his election as Attorney General, Fisher served for 22 years in thePennsylvania General Assembly, serving 6 years in theState House and 16 years as a member of theState Senate. He was a member of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, the Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and the MajorityWhip[2] of the Senate. During his legislative career, he was a leader in criminal and civil justice reform and an architect of many major environmental laws. He ran unsuccessfully forlieutenant governor in1986, serving as therunning mate ofBill Scranton.
Prior to becoming a judge, he was electedAttorney General ofPennsylvania in 1996 and re-elected in2000. Fisher personally argued major cases in state and federal appellate courts. In March 1998, he successfully argued the case ofPa. Bd. of Prob. & Parole v. Scott before theUnited States Supreme Court, in which the Court held that theFourth Amendment'sexclusionary rule does not apply to parole revocation hearings.[3]
In a 2009 documentary film about the politics behind attempts to move theBarnes Foundation art collection to thePhiladelphia Museum of Art called “The Art of the Steal,” Fisher admitted using pressure onLincoln University officials to get them to approve the move.[4]
Fisher ran forgovernor of Pennsylvania in the2002 election. Early in the campaign, the Republican State Committee gravitated to him as the nominee, much to the chagrin ofState TreasurerBarbara Hafer, who had explored a run. After Fisher won the nomination unopposed, Hafer endorsed the Democrat,Ed Rendell and later switched her party affiliation to the Democratic Party. Fisher's campaign website was praised as being among the best during the 2002 election cycle.[5]
Fisher's candidacy was unable to gain traction, and he was down in the polls by double digits throughout the fall. In the end, Fisher could not catch Rendell and lost 53.4%–44.4%.
Fisher was appointed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to serve withMarjorie Rendell, Governor Rendell's wife. Fisher was nominated by PresidentGeorge W. Bush on May 1, 2003, to a seat vacated byCarol Los Mansmann. He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on December 9, 2003, and received commission on December 11, 2003.[6] Fisher officially resigned as Attorney General and assumed his judicial office four days later.[7] He assumedsenior status on February 1, 2017.[6]
Fisher and his wife, Carol, an education consultant, have two adult children. Michelle is an attorney, and Brett works in the Merchant Services Business. He also has 4 grandchildren; Cecilia, Camden, Elliott, and Judge.
Media related toMike Fisher at Wikimedia Commons| Party political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Republican nominee forLieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania 1986 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forAttorney General of Pennsylvania 1996,2000 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Pennsylvania 2002 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Attorney General of Pennsylvania 1997–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2003–2017 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
