(From a press release)
The installation of newly-elected Chester County officials and judges took place at swearing-in ceremonies this past weekend, in Courtroom 1 of the Chester County Justice Center. On Friday, December 29, five new judges and two judges retained by voters took the oath of office to serve on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas.
On Saturday, December 30, three county commissioners, and the new District Attorney, Sheriff, Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills and one Magisterial District Judge were also sworn-in.
Chester County’s new Board of Commissioners are Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe. Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe is the County’s new District Attorney and Kevin Dykes is the new Chester County Sheriff. Michele Vaughn begins her second term as Register of Wills, and Diane O’Dwyer begins her term as the County’s Recorder of Deeds, having previously served as Acting Recorder.
From left to right: Magisterial District Judge Tim Arndt, Register of Wills Michele Vaughn, Recorder of Deeds Diane O’Dwyer, Sheriff Kevin Dykes, District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe, and Commissioners Eric Roe, Josh Maxwell, and Marian Moskowitz.
Tim Arndt was sworn-in as the new Magisterial District Judge for the Honey Brook District Court. Debbie Bookman, who was unable to attend the ceremonial swearing-in event, begins her second term as the Prothonotary for Chester County.
The five new judges, elected to serve 10-year terms on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, are Sarah Black, Nicole Forzato, Fredda Maddox, Thomas (Tip) McCabe and Deb Ryan. Judge John Hall, currently serving as President Judge, and Judge Patrick Carmody are the two judges retained by voters.
As noted by President Judge Hall at the Friday swearing-in ceremony, “The addition to the Chester County bench of the five newly-elected Common Pleas judges constitutes the largest number of judges added at one time to the court since it was created in 1791.
“As a percentage of the 14-member court, these five judges will represent over one-third of the bench, the largest proportional change to the court since the appointment of Judge William Waddell in 1887.”
