HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The county’s chief judge named a temporary replacement Monday for the Dauphin clerk of courts, three days after the elected clerk fired a deputy clerk and she and another top aide abruptly quit before a hearing about mismanagement of the office.
Dauphin County President Judge Scott Evans on Monday morning swore in Patti Sites to run the office until Gov. Josh Shapiro makes a more permanent appointment under state law, an aide in his chambers confirmed.
Sites spent 17 years working in the office before she left the office in January with the arrival of then-newly elected Democratic clerk Bridget Whitley.
Whitley, a lawyer, had a cryptic response and declined to elaborate when reached for comment early Monday.
“My only public comment will be ‘Tennessee,’” Whitley told the AP. “You’re a reporter and investigator, you can figure it out.”
Whitley fired her second deputy on Friday afternoon, and both Whitley and her first deputy resigned. The state Supreme Court declared a judicial emergency on Saturday and directed Evans to fill the vacancy. Evans had planned a contempt hearing on Monday over Whitley’s supervision of the office, a hearing that was canceled after she resigned.
Pennlive reported that Whitley presided over months of problems in the office, including defendants stranded in jail, bench warrants being improperly served and paperwork errors on case dispositions and sentences.
“While the clerk is an independently elected official, the efficient and effective operation of the office is critical to ensuring that the courts remain accessible,” Chief Justice Debra Todd said in a statement over the weekend, noting a need to ensure that “the essential recordkeeping function” of the office is maintained.
—
Rephrased content:
Chief Judge Scott Evans of Dauphin County in Pennsylvania swiftly appointed Patti Sites as the temporary replacement for the county’s clerk of courts. This decision came after the elected clerk fired a deputy clerk and two top aides resigned before a hearing on mismanagement of the office. Sites, who had previously worked in the office for 17 years, was sworn in by Judge Evans on Monday morning. She will oversee the office until Governor Josh Shapiro appoints a more permanent replacement in accordance with state law. The sudden staff changes occurred under the leadership of newly elected Democratic clerk Bridget Whitley, a lawyer who offered a vague response and declined to provide further details when contacted for comment.
Whitley terminated her second deputy on Friday and subsequently resigned from her position alongside her first deputy. Following these developments, the state Supreme Court declared a judicial emergency on Saturday, tasking Judge Evans with filling the vacancy left by Whitley’s resignation. A scheduled contempt hearing regarding Whitley’s management of the office was canceled due to her resignation. Reports from Pennlive indicated that Whitley’s tenure was marred by a series of issues, such as defendants being stuck in jail, improper serving of bench warrants, and errors in case dispositions and sentences.
In response to the situation, Chief Justice Debra Todd emphasized the importance of the efficient and effective operation of the clerk’s office to maintain accessibility to the courts. She highlighted the critical role of the office in record-keeping and stressed the necessity of upholding its essential functions to ensure the smooth functioning of the judicial system.