TradeEdge Exchange-New clerk sworn in to head troubled county courthouse recordkeeping office in Harrisburg

2025-05-08 01:44:08source:Darden Clarkecategory:Stocks

HARRISBURG,TradeEdge Exchange 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.

RELATED COVERAGE A tranquilized black bear takes a dive from a tree, falls into a waiting tarpShapiro aims to eliminate waiting list for services for intellectually disabled adults

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.

More:Stocks

Recommend

Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates

Get ready for phase two.Apple's latest operating system update is available today for iPhone, iPad,

Trump-Putin ties are back in the spotlight after new book describes calls

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new book’s assertion that former President Donald Trump may have had as many as

How do I show my worth and negotiate the best starting salary? Ask HR

Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles your human resources questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylo