Celebrating Lady Justice

Judge M. Teresa Sarmina

Judge M. Teresa Sarmina served as a Philadelphia trial judge of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas in both the Civil and Criminal Divisions from 1998 to 2019. She presided over thousands of cases and hundreds of trials including several landmark cases involving the Catholic Diocese and the tragic collapse of the Salvation Army building in center-city Philadelphia.

Sir Roland Richardson notes on the portrait of Judge Teresa Sarmina:

“Most of the portraits I have painted over the last 50 years have been by my request.  I have asked people to allow me to paint them, so it was a surprise when I was asked by a visitor to my native island of St. Martin in the Caribbean if I would accept to paint her portrait.  We chatted a while and I learned a bit more about who she was and why her request. I was flattered, excited and not a little bit intimidated. We agreed to undertake the project.”

Then following the worst hurricane ever recorded, we were all seized by the pandemic of 2020. Our plans were interrupted for over two years but we did not give up the idea. We maintained our contact and traveled to Philadelphia in September 2021 to realize our intentions.

By then I had a much better idea of who the subject was:  Her Honor Judge M. Teresa Sarmina.  The importance of the project took on far deeper significance than just a portrait of a lovely lady.

I always only paint from life on location.  Together, we chose to paint at multiple locations – Judge Sarmina’s chambers, robing room, courtroom and home.

Each venue contributed and wove together a life of devotion.

A family tree, a cactus hand-calligraphed with the names of each member dating back to the 16th century…

Her great-grandfather sat on the Supreme Court of Mexico. His gold pocket watch became the clock on her courtroom wall in my painting… 

Her love of horses pictured in tiles in her chambers which she protected from renovation paneling…

Dignified in her black robe, she seems to represent Lady Justice, not blindfolded but her gaze steady and compassionate, and in her arms enfolding to her bosom, close to her heart, her dossiers, protecting and proclaiming her love and devotion to the law and justice. 

It has been an honor and a privilege getting to know Judge M. Teresa Sarmina.

Signing of the Portrait by Judge Sarmina and Sir Roland Richardson

It is a further honor to witness her portrait added to the collection of Judges’ portraits that grace the walls of this 18th century historic Courthouse on November 3, 2022 in Philadelphia.”