Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2025 - Amy Mathieu, Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County, PA

Last year was the first year we profiled an election for a court, and this year, there are more elections for judgeships! Recently there has been a lot of hype about a race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, seen as a proxy battle between Elon Musk and right-wing Senator Ron Johnson on one side, and the working class, progressive lesbian Senator Tammy Baldwin, and democracy on the other. But there are more races this year for positions on courts at all levels, and every one is important to upholding the rule of law and preventing the demolition of democracy by our current right-wing federal government.

Today we are profiling Amy Mathieu (she/her), a gender-nonconforming queer attorney who is running to be a judge on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After the election of Donald Trump in November, Amy was motivated to run for this elected judgeship.  As the country slides into a fascist corporatocracy, Amy wants to to join the court to become an activist judge who will help lead the anti-fascist resistance and to uniformly and consistently protect citizens from patriarchal, white supremacist and capitalist interests. She hopes to protect the civil rights of marginalized communities from discriminatory executive orders. Using this position of power, Amy will promote DEI and trans rights while our current regime seeks to erase diversity, equity, and inclusion, and trans people from American society.

Where are you based?
The Northside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

What is your position/what position are you running for?
Judge on the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.

It is clear that the current administration has no intention to work for all Americans, but only a small, select group.  Will you be an activist judge who will stand up to these actors who seek to trample civil rights, destroy the environment, and suppress the working classes to achieve unprecedented profits and capital gains?
Absolutely. It's the only reason I am running. 

How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I did not ever foresee wanting to run for any public position. However, I married my wife, Katie, the Saturday before the November 2024 election. We were still on our honeymoon when Trump was elected. The very next day, I decided to run for judge. This administration attacks the civil rights of marginalized communities every single day. As a civil rights attorney, I am well-equipped to protect those rights from the bench. We need judges who have lived through oppression and discrimination and fully understand what's at stake here. I am willing to put my own reputation on the line to stand up for those without voices in the legal system. 

What inspired you to run?
Waking up on my honeymoon, not knowing if my marriage would be legitimate for the foreseeable future was devastating. No one should have to wake up in America and wonder what rights will be stripped from them that day. We need judges dedicated to protecting vulnerable and marginalized communities moving forward. 

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
Our court system does not represent a level playing field. It should never be the case that the color of someone's skin, who they love, or how they identify plays a role in the outcome of their case. Yet, it often does in Allegheny County. I want to create a more accessible, more equitable court system with greater representation and visibility. We need serious criminal justice reform focused on restorative justice, not meaningless punishment. We need serious civil justice reform focused on fairness and equitability for all litigants. 

What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
As a law clerk in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Civil Division, I helped create and run the Name Change Court in Allegheny County. There, trans individuals and survivors of domestic violence can safely obtain a name change without fear of discrimination. 

What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
Trump's executive orders are actively attacking and dismantling the civil rights of marginalized communities — namely the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and people of color. If elected, I will interpret the law fairly, without prejudice, and in favor of securing and enforcing the civil rights of marginalized communities. We need empathetic and fair judges. But we really need judges who represent marginalized groups, who have lived through that struggle, and are dedicated to changing the system to work for everyone. 

How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office? 
Allegheny County's bench does not reflect the diverse community of the county. We need to elect more women, more people of color, and more queer people to the bench. I am a gender-nonconforming, queer woman. I know what it's like to feel like an outsider. I know what it's like to be the only woman and only queer person in a courtroom. People have a vastly different experience in a courtroom when they see themselves represented. I am dedicated to having a diverse staff, with different life experiences. I am dedicated to understanding the circumstances that led to that day in court for the litigants. I am dedicated to showing the queer youth of my county that we can be in positions of power, and we can use those positions to empower others. 

What is your motto in life?
No one is free until we are all free. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

Where can we find out more about you?
www.amyforall.com ; Instagram handle: amyforall25