Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

It is crucial that we keep acknowledging that these day-to-day decisions may affect the lifetime of the litigants in the courtroom. The outcome of these court cases changes the trajectory of everyone involved. These decisions do not matter any less, even if we are exhausted by changing national circumstances.

Meet the Candidate

Welcome to the 2025 election season series ‘Political Q&A’ – interviews with candidates throughout Pennsylvania. Since 2013, we’ve published nearly 150 of these interviews. We use an email Q&A format to allow the candidates to speak directly to you, the readers.

Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for any level of office. Please note that these are not necessarily endorsements, more of an opportunity for candidates to connect with the LGBTQ community, progressives neighbors, and others with an interest in Pennsylvania. If your candidate would like to participate, contact us pghlesbian at gmail dot com. We welcome candidates at all levels of government across the entire Commonwealth. We publish in the order that they are returned and will accept Q&A’s until Election Day.

Please note that Pennsylvania has over 500 school districts. We’d like to talk with candidates in any one of them. Tell your district’s story statewide.

Important to note that I do not edit the responses, including their framing of LGBTQ identities.

These Q&A’s are lengthy because there is a lot of ground to cover. This year, I created about 20 questions per candidate. This is and should be a deep dive because you deserve as much information as possible.

By participating in this Q&A series, candidates are saying that they

• are an LGBTQIA+ ally, specifically supporting equality and dignity for transgender persons
• identify as pro-choice

I was pleased to learn about an accomplished openly LGBTQ candidate for the Court of Common Pleas. Her candidacy is itself a sort of hope in a dark period of time. People still step into public roles to offer guidance and leadership. Amy’s familiarity with LGBTQ legal issues comes from lived experience that needs to be part of the conversations in every level of government.

Name: Amy Mathieu 

Pronouns: She/Her 

Office Sought in This Election: Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas 

How do you describe your identity? I am a lesbian. 

Tell us about your Allegheny County. What is a hidden gem most people might not know about? 

I live in Northside, my absolute favorite neighborhood in the county. I love that I can walk downtown and attend shows in the Cultural District, walk to Northshore to enjoy sports and concerts, and still have quick access by car to so many other great neighborhoods from my house. A hidden gem for me is Bar Marco in the Strip District. The staff there are so welcoming, the food is unbelievable, and the drinks are amazing. 

I actually believe that the Name Change Court is still unknown to many in our community. I am also actively working to try to make this program more accessible to individuals so that they can obtain a name change without the use of an attorney.

Questions and Answers

What professional accomplishment gives you the most pride? 

I was recently nominated for, and received, Pittsburgh Action Against Rape’s “Every Step of the Way” Award. This particular award’s recipient is chosen by PAAR’s staff. The idea that such an incredible organization for survivors would honor my legal work is so humbling. 

Your website states that you strive to expand access to justice for those who have been harmed. Please provide some examples of how access to justice has expanded through your efforts. 

Often times survivors of sexual abuse or sexual assault have undergone a re-traumatizing and unsupported criminal court experience before I get involved in the civil case. It’s entirely reasonable for survivors to be apprehensive, scared, and untrusting of the legal process before I even introduce myself. Through my trauma-informed, client-focused approach, I have helped survivors through the civil process and reach an equitable resolution. 

Please tell me about your familiarity with the LGBTQ community in Allegheny County. 

I am an open and active member of the LGBTQ community in Allegheny County. I often attend queer events, exist in queer spaces here, and try to build community.

Based on this, what do you understand to be our current top LGBTQ concerns and priorities for the Court of Commons Pleas? How will you respond to those priorities? 

I believe legal concerns for the LGBTQ community are multiplying every day with the current administration. I believe that the most pressing legal concerns for the community are: access to healthcare, access to legal name change services, and being protected from workplace and housing discrimination. I have already been working to combat these challenges my entire career. While clerking for Judge Christine Ward in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, I helped establish and run the Special Name Change Court for trans individuals seeking a name change. In my daily legal practice, I am a civil rights attorney. My practice focuses on employment discrimination cases. I represent employees who have been discriminated against, harassed, or wrongfully terminated from their jobs based on their sex, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. 

What have you personally and professionally done to protect trans kids? 

I helped start and run the Special Name Change Court in Allegheny County. Since then, I have helped clients obtain legal name changes pro bono. I am also incredibly politically active on social media, providing free legal resources and advice for any LGBTQ individual with questions. 

Tell us about an underappreciated or little-known asset in the Court of Common Pleas? 

I actually believe that the Name Change Court is still unknown to many in our community. I am also actively working to try to make this program more accessible to individuals so that they can obtain a name change without the use of an attorney. Other counties provide forms for individuals to fill out and file with the court, rather than formal legal petitions. In Allegheny County, we could convert our petition format to fillable forms for individuals to alleviate the stress and wait time involved with finding counsel.  

Is the Court of Common Pleas a County-level or State-level of government? The Court of Common Pleas is a county court. 

Please summarize how the Court of Common Pleas is funded.  The Court of Common Pleas is funded in part by state and local income tax and is also funded by the fees and fines that litigants pay to the courts.

In about 70% of Pennsylvania, it is legal to discriminate against people based on gender identity and sexual orientation – to fire us, to refuse to rent to us, even to deny to serve us in a business. The few protections we have come from municipal ordinances, court rulings, and executive decisions none of which carry the weight of legislative action by the General Assembly. Name three things your office will do to address the fallout of this legalized bigotry. 

It is correct to state that these types of discrimination are not protected by statute. However, since 2020, workplace protections for sexual orientation and gender identity, are protected against under Title VII. Although it does not appear in the text of the statute, the Supreme Court decision of Bostock v. Clayton found that it is illegal to discriminate in employment practices based on these protected classes. As a judge, I cannot pass legislation that would correct this inequity. Personally, I would support the Pennsylvania state legislature codifying these protections. However, as a judicial candidate, I cannot comment on how I would rule on specific issues. I will simply say that no one should fear losing their job or housing based on who they love. 

Every school kid learns that we have three branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial. We also have three levels of government – local, state, and federal. Democracy is supposed to rest at the intersections of these branches and levels. Those intersections also include people – citizens, residents, voters, workers, and neighbors. It can be overwhelming when the balance of power is heavily tilted in one direction. What three specific actions will you take to address this imbalance from your office should you be elected? 

In this tumultuous time, the judicial branch will be the first and last defense of our civil rights. The civil rights of all Americans are currently under attack, but especially citizens in marginalized communities–women and their access to health care, people of color, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community. I have fought to protect these civil rights my entire career as a civil attorney. I am dedicated to doing the same from the bench. 

Our nation is in turmoil. Still, Court business continues – crimes adjudicated, custody decisions made, disputes and grievances addressed. Our lives move forward, facing life-changing personal legal battles in this larger context. How does a judge balance this cognitive dissonance? 

At times, it is hard to see the importance of these day-to-day decisions when such overwhelming challenges are in the backdrop. It is crucial that we keep acknowledging that these day-to-day decisions may affect the lifetime of the litigants in the courtroom. The outcome of these court cases changes the trajectory of everyone involved. These decisions do not matter any less, even if we are exhausted by changing national circumstances.

Is the Pennsylvania Court system an institution that should be held accountable for causing harm? What role would seated judges play in that accountability? 

In Pennsylvania, all branches of government are subject to sovereign immunity. This means that the government and local agencies cannot be held civilly liable for causing harm unless the type of harm falls within the enumerated exceptions to immunity. I believe that every branch of government should be subject to more liability and held accountable. Oftentimes, the application of immunity completely bars individuals from any form of restitution for a government-created injury. 

Are the courts fully unionized? Please explain. No. Judicial staff members are not unionized. I would support these employees unionizing. 

There’s a clear need to actively create space for women, especially Black women and other women of color, in elected office AND on campaign and legislative staffs. These are issues of representation and realities. Tell us about your campaign team. 

My wife is my campaign chair. Most of my committee is made up of women from all over the county who are all dedicated to the same progressive ideals as my campaign. My only employee is my campaign manager, Ezra, who identifies as non-binary. 

Why did you agree to complete this Q&A? 

Earning the support of the community of which I am a proud member is incredibly important to me. I entered this race immediately following the November election because I felt a deep responsibility I couldn’t ignore. I knew I had to do everything I could to protect marginalized communities and civil rights during this administration. I am in this race to protect marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community, and especially our trans siblings, and I want the endorsements I apply for and earn, and the questionnaires I complete, to reflect that. 

In this tumultuous time, the judicial branch will be the first and last defense of our civil rights.

Endorsements, Socials, and Summary

Tell us about your endorsements. 

I am currently endorsed by Run for Something (“RFS”). RFS is a national organization that works to elect young progressives. I have also been endorsed by the North Hills Progressives, and I have been recommended by the Young Democrats of Allegheny County and The University of Pittsburgh Democrats. 

I have applied for and am awaiting endorsement results from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, Working Families Party, The Victory Institute, Stonewall Dems, and Advocates for Trans Equality, and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers.

I also recently received news that I am the 2025 recipient of the Pittsburgh Action Against Rape “Every Step of the Way Award.” According to PAAR, this award honors an individual who has shown exceptional perseverance or determination in dealing with sexual violence. The PAAR staff nominated and selected me for this award for my dedicated work representing survivors of sexual abuse through civil claims. I am truly honored and deeply humbled to receive such recognition. My work with sexual abuse survivors has changed my life, the way I practice law, and inspired me to run for this office. 

Please list your social media accounts and your campaign donation links. 

Facebook: Amy Mathieu for Judge 

Instagram: @amyforall25 

Donation Link: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/amyforall 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? No response.

Thank you, Amy.

Other Q&A’s

Other Q&A’s in this election cycle series. You can read previous cycle Q&A’s here. If your candidate would like to participate, please contact us pghlesbian at gmail dot com.

The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Lauren Leiggi, Candidate for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas

The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Judge Alyssa Cowan, Candidate for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas

The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Amy Mathieu, Candidate for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas