Judge Ann Marie Wheatcraft has dedicated her career to making Chester County a safer and better place to live, work, and raise a family. For the last 13 years, she has served as a Judge on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas and currently serves as its President Judge. During her time on the bench, she has consistently handed out some of the toughest punishments for violent criminals.

In addition to earning a reputation as a tough judge, Ann Marie is also recognized for
her compassion for victims and fairness in the courtroom. She has presided over
Chester County’s treatment courts including the Drug, Recovery, Mental Health, and
Veterans Courts.

Prior to being elected Judge, Ann Marie served as an Assistant District Attorney
prosecuting some of Chester County’s most violent crimes including armed robbery,
rape, and first-degree murder.

In addition to her Criminal Law experience, Ann Marie has handled Civil, Family and
Dependency Court dockets as a Judge. She frequently is asked to give presentations
by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) New Judges’ School, the
State Trial Court Judge Conference, colleges and law schools and Bar Associations and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) events. Ann Marie is the past President of the
Pennsylvania Association of Trial Court Professionals (2022-2024) and is a current
Executive Board member.

Ann Marie is the proud mom of two children. Her son is a police officer in Chester
County and her daughter is in medical school. She enjoys scuba diving and
volunteering with Canine Partners for Life fostering and training service dogs, including courthouse therapy dogs.