The push for uniform laws follows scandals alleging misconduct by elected officials.
By Mark Scolforo - philly.com - Associated Press
HARRISBURG - A state lawmaker is pushing for legislation he describes as a first step toward addressing the training, equipment, and supervisory shortcomings in the state's troubled constable system.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Thomas Caltagirone (D., Berks) recently introduced a bill that would assemble in one place the myriad state laws that govern constables. The 56-page bill also would repeal laws with archaic references related to constables, including one dating to 1799.
Once that codification is accomplished, Caltagirone said, he will address the qualifications for office and guidelines for the job.
"I am committed to trying to upgrade the professionalism of the constables and make it a more meaningful law enforcement body and a judicial process-server body," he said yesterday. "This is the first, first step. I don't think there's going to be much controversy around this piece of legislation as much as what may follow. And I don't know what will follow."
The state's 1,200 constables serve warrants, transport prisoners, and perform other jobs for district courts throughout the state. Most are independently elected, though some are appointed to fill vacancies or as deputy constables in busy areas.
Constables operate on a pay-for-service basis for the courts, and as such have limited supervision and accountability.
Read the rest of the story:
Legislator drafts bill to govern constables
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Each week, sharks feed on county's foreclosed homes
By Noah Haglund - Herald Writer - Snohomish County, WA
EVERETT -- A feeding frenzy. That's what some seasoned onlookers call the weekly foreclosure auctions in front of the Snohomish County Courthouse.
The spectacle takes over the open space around a cluster of war memorials every Friday morning.
This week, it started with 30 or more people, a half-dozen of them "criers" who read legal descriptions of homes and land that have gone into foreclosure. A few investors circled the crowd, sniffing out profitable morsels to gobble up.
"These are the great whites; they're watching this stuff," said Tim Hiegel, a broker who set up his portable office on the periphery, pointing out regulars among the crowd.
Read the rest of the story:
Each week, sharks feed on county's foreclosed homes
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EVERETT -- A feeding frenzy. That's what some seasoned onlookers call the weekly foreclosure auctions in front of the Snohomish County Courthouse.
The spectacle takes over the open space around a cluster of war memorials every Friday morning.
This week, it started with 30 or more people, a half-dozen of them "criers" who read legal descriptions of homes and land that have gone into foreclosure. A few investors circled the crowd, sniffing out profitable morsels to gobble up.
"These are the great whites; they're watching this stuff," said Tim Hiegel, a broker who set up his portable office on the periphery, pointing out regulars among the crowd.
Read the rest of the story:
Each week, sharks feed on county's foreclosed homes
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Marshals make millions serving papers
Sunday, 31 May 2009 - WTNH.com
Hartford (AP) - A Connecticut marshal earned more than $1 million last year delivering court papers.
The Hartford Court reports that John Fiorillo, the top-earning marshal in the state, was paid more than $3 million by law firms in 2008, but spent about two-thirds of that on employee and office expenses. That still left him with an income of $1,119,706. The Courant says most of Fiorillo's business came from two foreclosure firms.
Fiorillo has refused to comment on his business. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says his office is investigating the marshal system, and why there is such a large concentration of business among just a few process-servers.
Read the original story here:
Marshals make millions serving papers
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Hartford (AP) - A Connecticut marshal earned more than $1 million last year delivering court papers.
The Hartford Court reports that John Fiorillo, the top-earning marshal in the state, was paid more than $3 million by law firms in 2008, but spent about two-thirds of that on employee and office expenses. That still left him with an income of $1,119,706. The Courant says most of Fiorillo's business came from two foreclosure firms.
Fiorillo has refused to comment on his business. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says his office is investigating the marshal system, and why there is such a large concentration of business among just a few process-servers.
Read the original story here:
Marshals make millions serving papers
---------------------------------------------
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid to let go 8 process servers to cut costs
Mark Puente/Plain Dealer Reporter - May 30, 2009
CLEVELAND -- Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid plans to dismiss eight process servers whose sole responsibility is to serve subpoenas in civil cases.
The 18-member team is largely staffed by political hires or friends of former Sheriff Gerald McFaul or his top aides. Reid plans to reduce the staff to 10; the remaining eight will be notified in two weeks.
The workers all earn about $26,000 a year and receive full benefits and mileage allowances. Most of them are retired from other jobs. Reid ordered a thorough audit of the agency when he took office this month and told department heads to trim costs.
Civil administrators consolidated routes and duties of the process servers without affecting the operation, he said. Reid estimated the cuts will save $250,000 a year.
Dismissing the employees was a cost-saving opportunity, not a way to punish people because of how they got the job, he added.
Read the rest of the story:
Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid to let go 8 process servers to cut costs
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CLEVELAND -- Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid plans to dismiss eight process servers whose sole responsibility is to serve subpoenas in civil cases.
The 18-member team is largely staffed by political hires or friends of former Sheriff Gerald McFaul or his top aides. Reid plans to reduce the staff to 10; the remaining eight will be notified in two weeks.
The workers all earn about $26,000 a year and receive full benefits and mileage allowances. Most of them are retired from other jobs. Reid ordered a thorough audit of the agency when he took office this month and told department heads to trim costs.
Civil administrators consolidated routes and duties of the process servers without affecting the operation, he said. Reid estimated the cuts will save $250,000 a year.
Dismissing the employees was a cost-saving opportunity, not a way to punish people because of how they got the job, he added.
Read the rest of the story:
Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid to let go 8 process servers to cut costs
------------------------------
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Hennepin Co. cases reviewed due to unserved summons
KSTP.com - Nicole Muehlhausen - 05/20/2009
Imagine opening up the mail and finding out you're in default—a judge issuing a judgment against you that could lead to your financial ruin.
It’s happened to up to 200 people in Hennepin County, all by mistake. Authorities say one man is to blame and he could go to prison.
Angus Mceachern, 23, had one key job: Serve people with papers saying they're being sued for owing money. But investigators say he never did that and now 1,000 cases are under review.
Mceachern, of Brooklyn Center, faces 13 counts of perjury. He’s accused of lying about serving people with legal papers, leading to huge consequences for homeowners like Valerie Pitel.
Pitel says without warning, a judge entered a default judgment against her when she didn't show up for a court hearing she didn't know she had.
"I didn't know anything about it. I didn't know what to do," she said.
Read the rest of the story:
Hennepin Co. cases reviewed due to unserved summons
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Imagine opening up the mail and finding out you're in default—a judge issuing a judgment against you that could lead to your financial ruin.
It’s happened to up to 200 people in Hennepin County, all by mistake. Authorities say one man is to blame and he could go to prison.
Angus Mceachern, 23, had one key job: Serve people with papers saying they're being sued for owing money. But investigators say he never did that and now 1,000 cases are under review.
Mceachern, of Brooklyn Center, faces 13 counts of perjury. He’s accused of lying about serving people with legal papers, leading to huge consequences for homeowners like Valerie Pitel.
Pitel says without warning, a judge entered a default judgment against her when she didn't show up for a court hearing she didn't know she had.
"I didn't know anything about it. I didn't know what to do," she said.
Read the rest of the story:
Hennepin Co. cases reviewed due to unserved summons
--------------------------------
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