Hon. Albert W. Sheppard, Jr. Court of Common Pleas, First Judical District Commerce Court, Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Albert W. Sheppard, Jr. is in his twenty first year as a jurist in Philadelphia. He has presided in Family Court, Criminal Court and Civil Court. Since January 2000, he has been the judicial team leader for the Commerce Case Program. Judge Sheppard earned an Electrical Engineering Degree from Villanova University in 1960 and his J.D. from the Temple University School of Law in 1968.