Veteran Clerk of Courts announces candidacy for re-election
After over three decades in the Fayette County Clerk of Courts’ office, Janice Snyder says one thing is unequivocally true: the job entails far more than filing papers.
Snyder recently announced she will seek the Democratic nomination to retain her seat as clerk of courts.
“On a daily basis, the clerk of courts interacts with all criminal justice agencies, including local and state police, all county magistrates and, of course, the courts — Common Pleas, Superior, Supreme and Commonwealth,” Snyder said.
“Daily duties are vast and are not limited to typing and filing. Issuing bench warrants, seating jurors and recording the verdict after trial or taking bail are but a few of the fundamental procedures of this office,” she said.
Snyder praised her staff for their commitment to the work they do. “My staff is excellent,” she said. “They work their tails off. This job is never-ending.”
Monday afternoon, Snyder sifted through a stack of final notices for defendants who have unpaid fines related to their criminal cases.
Snyder said she’d like to see the courts hold contempt hearings to enforce restitution orders and other court-ordered fines. Victims of crimes sometimes wait for lengthy periods to receive restitution money, she said, because there are limited means for her office to enforce those orders if the adult probation office isn’t supervising the defendant.
Snyder said she began working in the clerk of courts office in 1980, and was promoted through the ranks while learning each aspect of the office along the way. She became chief deputy in 1986 and and was elected to office in 1992. She pointed out she’s one of only two elected row officers who has worked continuously in the same office in which she was hired.
The office has moved into the 21st century under Snyder’s tutelage.
“Having transitioned to paper docketing in the 1980s, I had the office computerized by 1994,” said Snyder. “And today, with the state-mandated Common Pleas Court Management System (CPCMS), the office is completely electronic and linked to related agencies.”
She said she hopes to see all the documents related to criminal docket entries available electronically at some point as well.
“I have proudly served the voters of Fayette County,” said Snyder, “and will continue to be a dedicated working professional woman that appreciates the respect and confidence instilled in me.”