Philadelphia Family Court judge who faced domestic violence charges earlier this year has resigned, source says
Prosecutors withdrew all charges against Michael Fanning for the alleged March assault of his wife and adult daughter after the women did not wish to proceed with the case.
Michael Fanning, the Philadelphia Family Court judge who faced domestic violence charges earlier this year on allegations he assaulted his wife and adult daughter, resigned from the bench, a person with direct knowledge said.
Prosecutors withdrew the all charges against Fanning in July, saying the women did not wish to proceed with the case and the judge had shown proof of “extensive mitigation” in the months since the March incident.
The Inquirer was unable to reach Fanning based on publicly available contact information.
The 60-year-old judge was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation, and related crimes after prosecutors said he repeatedly punched his wife in the face, choked her, and dragged his 30-year-old daughter to the ground by her hair, causing her to cut her face, during a fight at their East Torresdale home.
During the July hearing, Assistant District Attorney Brian Collins did not detail the forms of mitigation Fanning presented.
But at a hearing in March, Fanning’s wife said he had voluntarily entered a 30-day inpatient recovery program to treat his alcoholism, an issue the family had worked to address in the past.
The Pennsylvania Court of Discipline suspended Fanning without pay after his arrest, but lifted the suspension after the charges were withdrawn.
“With no charges and no other reason cited for the suspension of Judge Fanning, no reason exists for that suspension to continue,” the order said.
A court spokesperson declined to comment on Fanning’s resignation.
Fanning had been a Family Court judge since then-Gov. Tom Corbett appointed him to the bench in 2014. He won a 10-year term in 2015, and was retained for another term in November.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office could not immediately comment on whether the governor received Fanning’s resignation letter.
The resignation gives Shapiro an opportunity to nominate a judge for Fanning’s seat until the 2027 judicial election. The appointment requires state Senate confirmation.
Staff writer Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.
