The Intersection of Autism, the Courts, and the Practice of Law (Criminal Law Symposium 2026 Capital Case session)

Justice Kevin M. Dougherty graduated from Temple University, and then attended Antioch School of Law in Washington, DC. Following that he started his legal career as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia, and later went into private practice. In 2001, Dougherty was appointed to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, and he won election to a full 10-year term later that year. Justice Dougherty requested to be assigned to Family Court because he felt that he could influence the lives of our most vulnerable citizens and help mold troubled youth into happy, healthy, and productive members of society. In recognition of his administrative skills and commitment to reforming the juvenile justice system, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed Justice Dougherty to be Administrative Judge of the Philadelphia Family Court in 2005 eventually serving as the longest Administrative Judge in Philadelphia history. In this capacity, Justice Dougherty initiated numerous diversionary programs benefiting the most at-risk and vulnerable children in Philadelphia including the Cross-Over Program, the Adolescent Medicine Initiative, and the Expungement Initiative. In 2014, Justice Dougherty was reassigned as the Administrative Judge of the Trial Division, First Judicial District, as such ran the largest court system in Pennsylvania while serving as Chair of the Administrative Governing Board. Justice Dougherty was elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on November 3rd, 2015. With a passion for the states 117 Problem Solving Courts and issues facing children and families, Justice Dougherty alongside his fellow Justices has taken a keen interest in making the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania a model for the country when it comes to issues such as access to justice, alternative sentencing, transparency within the court system, and most importantly keeping an open dialogue between the various stakeholders within the judicial branch of government. In addition, he proudly represents the Supreme Court on both the Statewide Dependency Court Improvement Program and the Autism and the Courts Initiative.

David R. Fine is an appellate lawyer with broad experience briefing and arguing appeals in both federal and state courts across the United States. Chambers USA has ranked David as a Band 1 appellate lawyer in Pennsylvania. Best Lawyers in America ” hscs listed David for the past dozen years. David has practiced in the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and D.C. federal circuits; the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; the Pennsylvania Superior Court; the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court; the Arizona Court of Appeals; the Delaware Supreme Court; Florida Supreme Court; the Florida Third District Court of Appeal; the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal; the Louisiana Court of Appeals; the Maryland Court of Appeals; the New York Court of Appeals; the New York Appellate Division; the Oregon Supreme Court; the Oregon Court of Appeals; the Tennessee Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Appeals. David also provides consulting services to clients and lawyers developing appellate strategies. David currently serves as the  president of the Third Circuit Bar Association. David is a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He has served by appointment of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on that court’s Appellate Court Procedural Rules Committee (2008-15, vice-chair, 2014-15), Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners (2015-21; chair, 2020-21) and Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts Board (2021-present; secretary, 2022- present). He frequently writes and lectures on appellate advocacy.

Shane Carey, MPA, is Chief Judicial Administrator to Justice Kevin M. Dougherty of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, where he manages policy and administrative matters on behalf of the Justice. He recently returned to Court service after leading the Justice’s statewide retention effort, and his work has included helping lead several statewide initiatives, including the nationally recognized Autism in the Courts Initiative, the Judicial Behavioral Health Initiative, and broader efforts related to judicial education, legislative affairs, and court system modernization.