Meet Judge Nicole Forzato
Judge Forzato has been serving on the Court of Common Pleas since July 2022, filling an 18 month vacancy on the bench. She was appointed by the Governor and overwhelmingly confirmed by the bipartisan Pennsylvania Senate.
Judge Forzato is currently assigned to the criminal and orphans court divisions of the Court, which means she presides over adoptions, guardianships, estate administration as well as criminal cases.
She is fair, ethical and knowledgeable on the law which enables her to render decisions swiftly. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Forzato had 20 years of courtroom experience. As a lawyer, she tried civil and criminal cases in various courts throughout Pennsylvania.
She was the first woman to ever to serve as Chester County Solicitor, which is the chief legal officer of the County. As the County Solicitor, she was responsible for overseeing all of the civil litigation impacting the County including election matters, real estate transactions and contract disputes. She also provided legal guidance to the County Commissioners and the senior administrative team. She helped update the County's procurement process. Her office updated the County's Right to Know process to support transparency in government.
Before heading the Chester County Solicitor's Office, she worked alongside now Governor Shapiro for eight years. She was on his legal team when he was a County Commissioner, and then went with him to the Attorney General’s Office.
She has worked as a prosecutor at state and county levels. She prosecuted violent crimes as well as complex financial crimes, election cases, and public corruption cases. As a prosecutor she was known for being fair, firm, ethical and unafraid.
Judge Forzato graduated from Villanova law in 2001. She has spent the better part of her legal career in public service. She is dedicated, compassionate and evenly applies the law to all who come before her. She's running for a full term so she can continue to serve the community she loves. You can vote for a total of 5 individuals for the Court of Common Pleas in November.
