It is with extreme pleasure that we welcome to the 2026 Parade in the broadcast booth Hon Patrick Dugan
It is with extreme pleasure that we welcome to the 2026 Parade in the broadcast booth Maureen Weigl and Alicia Vitarelli 6abc Action News , Hon. Patrick Dugan.A retired President Judge of Philadelphia Municipal Court, retired U.S. Army Captain, and partner at Van der Veen, Hartshorn & Levin.
Dugan was appointed to the Philadelphia Municipal Court in 2007 by Governor Ed Rendell and was elected in 2009, retaining his seat in 2015 and 2021. He was one of the founders of Philadelphia’s Veterans Court and presided over the program from 2010 through 2024. In 2018, the Philadelphia Bar Association honored the Veterans Court team for its success, including a recidivism rate of less than 10 percent among participants.
Dugan’s career in public service began with the U.S. Army. He served as an airborne infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division and later as a civil affairs soldier in Iraq. In 2003, after a 14-year break from military service, he re-enlisted and deployed to Mosul, Iraq, where he worked in civil affairs and public administration while also serving on combat missions. In 2005, he received a direct commission as an Army JAG officer and deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, serving with the 82nd Airborne and 10th Mountain Division.
Among his military honors are the Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge and Expert Infantryman Badge. General Tommy Franks also recognized Dugan’s service in his book American Soldier.
Dugan has spent much of his career focused on veterans, public service and the Philadelphia community. He has served on numerous veterans and civic boards, including the Philadelphia Korean Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 82nd Airborne Association and Global War on Terrorism Memorial.