Retired Pennsylvania Judge Wants Fraud Conviction Dismissed

January 26, 2009

A retired Pennsylvania Superior Court judge wants a federal judge to reverse his conviction or entirely dismiss insurance fraud charges stemming from $440,000 he collected in an August 2001 traffic accident.

Attorneys for former Judge Michael Joyce say there isn't enough evidence to support his conviction in November on mail fraud and money laundering charges. He is free on bond awaiting sentencing March 10.

Several friends and judges have testified Joyce was in pain after the wreck. But prosecutors say Joyce continued to golf, inline skate, scuba dive and fly a private plane after the fender bender _ despite telling insurers his life and career were all but derailed by the injuries.

He retired from he appellate court in January 2008, a few months after he was indicted.