The Hon. Richard M. Cappelli is a judge for the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. He was elected to the bench on November 5, 2013.
Prior to his election, Cappelli presided as a judge for the Magisterial District Court in Concord, Bethel, Chadds Ford, and Thornbury from 1992 to 2013. He was appointed to this position by former Governor Robert P. Casey.
Cappelli earned a B.S. in economics from St. Francis University of Pennsylvania in 1977. He then completed a J.D. at Widener University Delaware Law School in 1981.
After graduating from law school, Cappelli entered into private practice as a sole practitioner. He specialized in personal injury, wills and estates, as well as business counseling until his election to the bench.
While in private practice, Cappelli worked as a municipal solicitor for Trainor Borough and a zoning solicitor for Aston Township and Yeadon Borough. He also served as a Child Advocate for the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office (1983 to 1985) and Juvenile Court Master for the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas (1985 to 1992). In this capacity, he created the Special Prosecution Unit for the District Attorney’s Office, a unit tasked with investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases.
His memberships have included the Special Court Judges Association of Pennsylvania (President), the Delaware County Bar Association (Director), the Delaware County District Justices Association (President), and the Pennsylvania State Constables Association. He sat on the District Justice Committee of the Delaware County Bar Association, the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee of Delaware County.
He is a recipient of the Themis Award from the Special Court Justices Association of Pennsylvania (2010).
Cappelli was raised in Wilmington, Delaware, where he attended Salesianum High School. He currently resides in Concord Township.
