On Thursday, January 29, 2026, Magisterial District Judge Amy L. Zanelli of Lehigh County filed a petition with the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline requesting placement in a diversionary program. The petition, submitted by her attorney Samuel C. Stretton, Esquire, cites the case of In Re Domitrovich as the basis for the request.

Zanelli, who currently serves as a District Judge in Allentown in Magisterial District Court 31-1-06, is in her first term, which began in January 2021. She intends to run for re-election in 2027, with a potential second term commencing in January 2028 if elected. Prior to her judgeship, Zanelli was elected as a Democrat to the County Commissioners of Lehigh County, where she later served as Chairman.

The petition acknowledges that issues have arisen during Zanelli’s tenure as a judge, leading to a formal complaint. In response, Stretton has been working with the Judicial Conduct Board. Following Judicial Conduct Board Rule 38, Judge Zanelli was evaluated by psychiatrist Dr. Barbara Ziv, who was appointed by the Judicial Conduct Board. Dr. Ziv recommended specific treatment for Judge Zanelli. Her report will be produced at the hearing and kept under seal.

As a result of Dr. Ziv’s evaluation, Zanelli retained psychologist Dr. Steven Samuel, who began a course of treatment to address the concerns raised in Dr. Ziv’s report. Judge Zanelli has been actively participating in this treatment. Dr. Samuel has prepared an initial report, reflecting her progress, and is working on an updated report. Both reports will be presented under seal to the Court of Judicial Discipline during the hearing.

Stretton had previously requested the Judicial Conduct Board to dismiss the present conduct pursuant to Judicial Conduct Board Rule 38, but the Judicial Conduct Board, through Deputy Chief Counsel James Kleman, Jr., Esquire, advised Stretton to raise the issue with the Court of Judicial Discipline.

Stretton is seeking the diversionary program for Judge Zanelli, allowing her to continue treatment with Dr. Samuel and address the issues raised by Dr. Ziv. Stretton requests that the Court allow a hearing to present psychological reports and testimony from Dr. Samuel and Dr. Ziv. He also requests that these documents be presented to the Court under seal and privately.

Stretton believes that Judge Zanelli is a prime candidate for the diversionary program, noting her progress in treatment with Dr. Samuel. He requests that the Court hold a hearing and place Judge Zanelli in a diversionary program similar to that used in the Domitrovich case. He asserts that this would allow her to complete her treatment, with Dr. Samuel providing regular reports to the Court.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.