Hon. Francis J. Fornelli (Ret.) was a judge for the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania. He was elected to the bench in 1981. Fornelli retired in 2014 and subsequently presided for a time as a senior judge.
At the time of his retirement, he was president judge of the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas.
He received an A.B. from the University of Notre Dame in 1963. Fornelli went on to complete an LL.B. at New York University School of Law in 1966.
After graduating from law school, he began his legal career as a partner in the law firm of Cusick, Madden, Joyce & McKay, where he practiced until joining the bench.
He also taught as an instructor for the New Judges School of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
His memberships included the Pennsylvania Policy Committee (former chairman), the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges (Executive Committee), the American Judicature Society, the American Judges Association, the Pennsylvania State Judges Ethics Committee, the Supreme Court Committee on Code of Civility, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Commonwealth Partners Committee (co-chair), and the Judges Committee of State Trial Judges (past president).
His civic involvement included Pregnancy Services of Western Pennsylvania (board member), ARC of Mercer County, the Prince of Peace Center (board member), and the Mercer County Hall of Fame.
Fornelli, a widower, has two children.
He was registered as a Democrat.