The Honorable Raymond A. Novak Fund in Support of Attorneys Against Hunger
In 2024, Judge Raymond A. Novak established the Raymond Novak Fund to support the Allegheny County Bar Foundation’s annual Attorneys Against Hunger (AAH) campaign. Judge Novak was a stalwart defender of the fight against hunger in Allegheny County; he recognized the importance of helping those in need and giving back. Not only did he donate to AAH, he was one of the sponsors who helped pay the cost so that every dollar raised went directly to hunger relief.
The Novak Fund will support hunger relief efforts in Allegheny County through the Allegheny County Bar Foundation’s Attorneys Against Hunger campaign.
About Judge Raymond A. Novak
Judge Novak received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from St. Vincent College in 1964. He received a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology and a licentiate in sacred theology from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in 1967. He received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from The University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1973, where he was a member of Law Review, and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 1974.
After serving as a parish priest at St. Basil Catholic Church in Carrick, then-attorney Novak used his MSW to become a probation officer supervising juveniles. This led to his appointment as the Assistant Director of the Allegheny County Juvenile Court and then as a Juvenile Court Master, hearing delinquency and dependency cases.
On April 2, 1980, he was appointed to the bench by Governor Richard Thornburgh. He won the election in November 1981 and retention in 1991 until he retired in 2001. He began his judicial career in the Family Division where he served until 1984 when he was transferred to the Criminal Division. He heard over 15,000 cases during his tenure as judge. He earned a reputation as soft-spoken but resolute. It was not unusual to find a “standing room only” crowd in his courtroom. In the 1980s, Judge Novak played a key role in restoring Courtroom 323 to its original appearance.
To learn more about Attorneys Against Hunger, or to donate, please click here.