It has been a busy few days for Philadelphia Judge Lisette Shirdan-Harris, who took over as supervising judge of the trial division for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas earlier this month.

So far the judge has been meeting with members of the bench and bar about getting the court system running during the COVID-19 pandemic, working with court leaders to find ways to begin holding non-jury civil trials remotely in the coming weeks, and helping legions of volunteer attorneys work as judge pro tems to help resolve cases while the courthouses in City Hall remain largely closed to the public.