Rolf Larsen

Rolf Larsen (August 26, 1934 – August 11, 2014), a Democrat originally from Allegheny County, was first elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1978. Background Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Larsen went to Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Santa Clara University School of Law, and then received his law degree from Penn State University, Dickinson School of Law. In 1974, he was elected judge of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas. Following that Larsen was elected to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 1977. Impeachment and removal from office In 1981, a public feud between Larsen and Justice Robert N. C. Nix, Jr. took on racial undertones when newspapers reported that Larsen allegedly threatened to publicize the fact that Nix was black in an attempt to defeat him for retention. Larsen was investigated and exonerated by a judicial board of inquiry, however, the disputes between the justices continued. In 1992, Larsen was accused of improperly communicating with a trial judge about a case. Larsen in turn filed court documents accusing Nix and other Justices of the Supreme Court of similar conduct. Upon hearing those allegations, the Pennsylvania Attorney General convened a grand jury to investigate the situation.