Former Judge’s Insurance Fraud Trial Moved to Pittsburgh

Former Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce’s insurance fraud trial is going to be held in federal court in Pittsburgh, not Erie.

Senior U.S. District Judge Maurice Cohill has granted a defense request to move the trial from Erie because of extensive pretrial publicity there. Prosecutors had objected to changing the venue.

Cohill says although witnesses might be inconvenienced by moving the trial to Pittsburgh, the inconvenience is relatively minor compared to the adverse publicity that will continue in Erie.

Joyce is accused of defrauding two insurance companies out of $440,000 by allegedly exaggerating loss claims because of a 2001 car accident.

Joyce, of Millcreek Township, was indicted in August and retired in January.