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From court reporter to judge, Chambers lives life with no regrets |
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Front Page -
Front Page Story
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Written by Larry McGuire
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Monday, 15 June 2009 |
District Judge Doug Chambers is seen here in front of his office located on East Union Street in Punxsutawney. Chambers resigned his position as court reporter for the Jefferson County Common Pleas Court to run for the office of what was then known as District Justice in Punxsy. (Photo by Larry McGuire/The Punxsutawney Spirit)
PUNXSUTAWNEY — Doug Chambers of Punxsutawney was perfectly happy being a court reporter for the Jefferson County Common Pleas Court until he decided he should take a shot at running for District Judge.
Chambers said he was the official courthouse reporter since 1974, and was involved in all of the court proceedings at the courthouse in Brookville.
"Being the court reporter in a one-judge-county and a one-court-reporter-county, I was involved in all of the court proceedings every day for 19 to 20 years," Chambers said. "As a court reporter, I would do transcripts of proceedings in the district courts as well.
"When my predecessor Guy Lester — who was the District Justice in Punxsy for as long as I had been the court reporter in the county — decided to retire, I gave it some more thought, and I decided to give it a shot."
Chambers also noted that, because it is an elected position, there are no qualifications for the job.
"If you're not a lawyer, you have to pass a certification course that is given by the Minor Judiciary Education Board at Wilson college in Chambersburg," he said. "You cannot assume the duties of this office until you pass that certification course.
"At the time that I took that course, there were 55 of us who took the course, and only 17 of us passed."
He passed the course in July of 1993.
"You don't think that there's pressure," he said. "You go into the test knowing that if you don't pass, it will be an issue in the fall election.
"There's enough pressure in taking the course. In the back of your mind, you think, ‘If this doesn't work, I'm going to look like an idiot,'" Chambers said. "I passed it the first time I took it, and I was elected District Justice in the fall election."
Chambers then assumed office in January 1994.
"If I had not passed the course, the other two District Judges — Richard Beck in Brookville and Dave Inzana in Reynoldsville — would have had to fill in, or Lester, who maintained senior judge status, could have been appointed until the vacancy was filled, " Chambers said.
Chambers said when the position of District Justice was created in 1969, Lester was elected to the position and took office in January 1970. He held that position until Chambers took office in 1994.
"The duties have changed over the years," he said. "With legislation and the rules of court, it has evolved into what it is today.
Chambers said his office handles all civil litigation up to $8,000 — the jurisdictional limit on all kinds of civil cases, contract cases, trespass cases, auto accidents, personal injury and contract law.
"The only case that can't be filed here is a lawsuit in civil court involving a title to real estate," he said. "If it involves a title to real estate, it goes to Common Pleas Court right away."
Chambers said a District Judge handles all criminal cases too.
"We handle everything from disorderly conduct to murder," he said. "We do different things on different cases.
"If they are summary criminal cases — such as disorderly conduct, harassment, underage drinking or whatever — we do all the trials right here in our office, and that is the end of them," Chambers said. "If the offense is a misdemeanor of the third degree or higher, we can take guilty pleas. If the people are contesting the charges, we do preliminary hearings on all of those cases."
Chambers said the preliminary hearing phase is handled in his court.
"If there's enough evidence to meet the prima facie burden on the charge at this level, then we hold it for court in Brookville, where they can either plead guilty, or have the charges held over for a jury trial," he said. "I also perform wedding ceremonies. I probably perform about two dozen per year. "
Chambers added that the type of weddings he does can consist of a couple just showing up at his office to perform the ceremony in his courtroom, in front of 300 people at the country club, or at the banquet room at the Eagles or Elks.
"I've performed weddings with 300 people in attendance," he said. "I've done weddings with just the couple around and nobody else."
Chambers said most search warrants that are issued come from the District Courts.
"That is one of the more important things that we do," Chambers said. "Our job is a two-fold approach of protecting society. One way is to lock up the convicted criminals, the other way is to act as a buffer between police and law enforcement and the rights of society and the people."
Chambers said in civil cases, he is the disinterested arbiter in civil disputes.
"In search warrant situations, one of the most important things is that people have a right to be secure in their homes," Chambers said. "One of the elements that was built into the constitution are the laws of search and seizure. The police don't have the right to go into your house unless they have the absolute proof legally to do that.
"In order for the police to search a car, person or dwelling, they have to have the legal evidence to go into those places," he said. "The police come to the district courts to apply for those search warrants. If they have enough of the right kind information to grant the search warrant, then I grant it."
Chambers said he does at least 30 search warrants a year.
"I have three full time secretaries that are doing all of the computer work, handling phone calls and scheduling the hearings," Chambers said. "I couldn't run this office without Brenda Neal-London, Kathy Divelbiss and Dawn Moore. Every piece of paper that leaves this office is examined and signed by me. If I'm not in the court room performing hearings or summary trials, then I'm here performing the administrative end of the office."
Chambers said the three District Judges rotate on-call every third week to perform arraignments for people who get arrested after hours.
"The police cannot put anybody in jail, but they can arrest somebody," he said. "The only way somebody ends up in jail is if a judge puts them there. We have to have somebody on call 24/7."
Chambers said one of the things he has seen change is the use of computers. When he began as a court reporter in 1974, everything was done by hand, typewriter or paper.
"The District Judge offices have been computerized since 1992," he said. "Pennsylvania was the first state in the nation to have this system."
Chambers said there will be an update to a Windows-based system coming in the next six months. He said new technology for video conferencing could make things a lot easier once it is finally set up.
"The court rooms are hooked up and operating," Chambers said. "We're waiting for the people to get hooked up on the other end, the jail and police stations. Once they get online, we'll be able to do video arraignments without having the defendant here. Currently, if I'm on call, and someone gets arrested by Brockway Police, they have to run the defendant down here to be arraigned."
Chambers said once the police departments get hooked up, they'll never have to leave town.
"They can set the defendant up in front of the video conference camera and I can do the arraignment here in my courtroom or from my home with a laptop computer," he said.
In his free time, Chambers is a member of the Punxsutawney Rotary Club, enjoys being one of the hosts of the annual Rotary Radio Auction and is an elder at the Presbyterian Church in Punxsy.
Chambers is grateful for the support from his wife Patricia and two children Michael and Melissa have given him over the years.
"It was a tough decision when I resigned my position as court reporter to run for District Justice," Chambers said. "I didn't want to be 65 years of age and regretted never having attempted to run for the position. I've never regretted that decision."
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 16 June 2009 )
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