It was a complete surprise to Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper to be selected Friday as the next supervising judge of the trial division’s criminal section, but Woods-Skipper said she finds it a pleasant surprise to take on the leadership role.

Woods-Skipper is replacing Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe, who was just elected as president judge Wednesday. Trial division Administrative Judge D. Webster Keogh made the appointment Friday.