A scramble ensued in political circles after allegations arose that a consultant working with numerous judicial candidates in Philadelphia turned in potentially fraudulent nominating petitions. While the chaos has since subsided, candidates, lawyers and politicos say its effects are likely to linger throughout the 2019 cycle, and possibly beyond.

The 2019 judicial race got off to a crowded, but familiar start on March 12 when 43 candidates seeking spots on either the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas or the Municipal Court filed their nominating petitions with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Things, however, took a turn for the worse a few days later when bankruptcy lawyer and Common Pleas candidate Christian DiCicco began looking over the petitions of his fellow candidates.