A look at how Somerset County's district court jurisdictions may change in the near future

Jurisdictions for Somerset County magistrates may soon be altered.

Every 10 years the president judge and county residents are to look at who will go to what magisterial district. The realignment plan follows the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's dictate.

The highest state court gave this instruction to president judges: "No magisterial district court is to have a total workload that is 15% less or greater than any other magisterial district court in the county."

For Somerset County five magisterial districts, this plan calls for change, with some changes more significant than others. President Judge D. Gregory Geary has come up with a plan and the public plays an important role in the process.

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The public is invited to comment on the proposed changes in writing or email before Dec. 30, according to Somerset County Court Administrator Tammy Escalera. Comments delivered by mail are required to have a postmark of no later than Dec. 24 to be part of the review package sent to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Somerset County district magistrates

Somerset County is the sixth-busiest of the 24 sixth-class counties in Pennsylvania. The sixth class is the largest in Pennsylvania, with populations that range between 45,000 and 89,999. Classes in the state are based on population.

The county magistrates average 3,789 cases filed annually, Geary said. Magisterial district courts in the other sixth-class counties average 3,230.

"The magisterial districts (as many others in the state) are not aligned in a way that allows for equal or near equal distribution of caseload among the several magisterial courts in the county," he said.

The state Supreme Court has told president judges to come up with plans that allow for workload to be equitably distributed among the magisterial district courts in each county, Geary added.

In Somerset County there are five magisterial districts: Boswell, New Centerville, Meyersdale Somerset and Windber.

"The district court (in Somerset) has a high traffic caseload generated by the turnpike, which causes much of caseload imbalances within our county," Geary said.

The plan is to assign most of those cases to a district that has a lower caseload to "bring all of our offices within the 15% target."

The busiest magisterial courts average 8,596 cases annually, Geary said, while the two least busiest magisterial courts average 1,576 and 1,576.

"This caseload disparity causes wide-ranging case management challenges for the high caseload courts, while unduly casting the low caseload courts in a less-than-favorable light in the media and elsewhere," he said.

PA Turnpike arrests

According to Geary, past alignment imposed the caseloads on the magisterial districts.

"I recognize our magisterial district courts with lower caseloads did not choose their caseloads," he said.

"The most challenging aspect of devising the plan involved allocating the heavy traffic caseloads generated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike."

Realignment from "a geographic or convenience standpoint" do not make "perfect sense, he said, particularly from the perspective of certain constituencies who regularly use the courts." But that situation "is secondary to the Supreme Court's instruction to achieve equitable caseload distribution."

The following changes may be coming to district courts in Somerset County.

District Judge Susan Mankamyer, Boswell

The average total caseload here is 3,916. That ranks this magisterial district second out of five, making it 21% above the average caseload in other sixth-class counties. The average total workload is 21,272 or 8% below that of all the workloads in the county.

Lincoln Township may be shifted from the Somerset district by Jan. 1, 2024. That municipality cannot be shifted until after District Judge Ken Johnson retires, Geary said, because he resides in that township and all district judges must reside in their district.

Benson and Hooversville boroughs may also be shifted from the Windber Magisterial District.

Boswell, Stoystown and Jennerstown boroughs, and Conemaugh, Jenner and Quemahoning Township are to continue in this district.

District Judge Bill Seger, Windber

The average total caseload here is 1,696, which ranks this magisterial district fourth out of five in the county and 47% below compared to others in sixth-class counties. The average total workload is 15,699, which is 32% below that of the other workloads in this county.

Under the proposed realignment, Indian Lake and Shanksville boroughs, along with Stonycreek Township, would be shifted to this district from the Boswell district.

The office is also to be relocated two blocks away at 1510 Jefferson Ave. in Windber in 2022.

Central City, Paint and Windber boroughs, and Ogle, Paint and Shade townships, are to remain in this district.

District Judge Ken Johnson, Somerset

The average total caseload here is 8,596 cases, which ranks this magisterial district first out of five and 166% above the average in sixth-class counties. The average total workload is 49,179, which is 112% above that of all the workloads in the county.

Lincoln Township and all Somerset Township turnpike traffic cases may soon be moved out of this district. Somerset Borough and Somerset Township (minus the turnpike traffic cases) are to remain in the district.

District Judge Sandra Stevanus, New Centerville

The average total caseload here is 1,576 cases, which ranks this magisterial district fifth out of five and 51% below the average in sixth-class counties. The average total workload is 12,645, which is 45% below that of all the workloads in the county.

All traffic citations from the turnpike in Somerset Township are to soon be handled by this district.

Casselman, Confluence, New Centerville, Rockwood, Seven Springs and Ursina boroughs, and Black, Lower Turkeyfoot, Middlecreek, Milford and Upper Turkeyfoot townships, are to remain in this district.

District Judge Douglas McCall Bell, Meyersdale

The average total caseload is 3,044, which ranks this magisterial district third out of five and 6% below the average in sixth-class counties. The average total workload is 16,949, which is 27% below that of all the workloads in this county.

Addison Borough and Addison Township are to shift from the New Centerville district.

Berlin, Callimont, Garrett, Meyersdale, New Baltimore, Salisbury, Wellersburg boroughs, and Allegheny, Brothersvalley, Elk Lick, Greenville, Larimer, Northampton, Southampton and Summit townships, are to remain in this district.

How to comment on magistrate changes

This plan is now posted in the five magisterial district judge offices, on the county website, on the Court of Common Pleas page, in the court administration office on the second floor of the county courthouse, and in the clerk of courts office and the prothonotary’s office, both on the first floor of the county courthouse.

"This plan must be out for comment for 30 days before the court moves to the next step. Therefore, anyone wishing to make any written comment must have their letter postmarked by Dec. 24, 2021 in order to be reviewed," Escalera said.

Comments sent by mail should be addressed to: Somerset County Court Administrator, Attn: Tammy Escalera, 111 E. Union Street, Suite 200, Somerset, PA 15501.

Comments can also be emailed to escalerat@co.somerset.pa.us

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County magisterial realignment plan open for public comment