Several months ago, I told you that Northampton County had just lost its MVP. Who's that? Lamont McClure? Nah, he's a politico who just thinks he's MVP because his office is up top where the air is thin. Besides, he's still here, and people don't like Executives until they're gone. Could it be DA Terry Houck? He played a very important role in keeping you safe, but the county lost someone for more important than a mere County Exec or District Attorney. That MVP was the county's custody master, Lisa Tresslar. This Harvard Law grad and former Wall Street lawyer completely reorganized and transformed an office that had been in shambles, into an efficient and sympathetic forum for children who often become pawns in the games parents play with each other once their relationships falter. Her north star was what was best for the children, and her gift was an uncanny ability to help warring moms and dads realize this themselves. Once she became custody master, the number of disputes that had to go to trial dwindled substantially. It is still baffling to me that this highly qualified person was treated so badly by at least one jealous judge. Once someone ascends to the judicial heavens, they have a tendency to consider themselves untouchable. But they've been touched in a most unpleasant way today. Lisa Tresslar sued the entire bench, along with Northampton County, on Friday..
Her 18-page lawsuit, filed by Attorneys Sidney Gold (Philadelphia) and Robert Goldman (Doylestown), alleges sex and age discrimination as well as retaliatory employment practices in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act as well as ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act). She seeks damages, both compensatory and punitive, as well as attorneys' fees. Her complaint was filed with the Eastern District of Pa.
According to the complaint, Tresslar was hired by the Court in 2014 as its first full-time Custody Master. She served until October 14, 2023, when she alleges she was "constructively terminated." Though the entire county bench is listed as a Defendant, her pleading makes clear that her grievances are aimed at Judges Jennifer Sletvold, Paula Roscioli, President Judge Craig Dally and Court Administrator Jermaine Greene.
"Beginning in June 2018, Judge Jennifer R. Sletvold (approximate age 40s), Judge Paula A. Roscioli (approximate age 50s), and Court Administrator J. Jermaine Greene, Sr. (approximate age 50), repeatedly made false statements to the other judges about Plaintiff's job performance, professionalism, and integrity. They repeatedly requested that Plaintiff's job responsibilities be limited in ways that would reduce her value to the Court. Judge Sletvold specifically requested that Plaintiff be fired. These three individuals did not direct such behavior toward similarly situated younger male employees. These three individuals' attacks on Plaintiff were demonstrably motivated by discriminatory animus based on Plaintiff's age and sex."
In March 22, they proposed administrative changes that targeted Tresslar and significantly reduced her role.by imposing burdensome restrictions on her ability to settle custody disputes or assist judges. These changes were opposed by Tresslar as well as the Family Committee of the NorCo Bar Association. But they were adopted by President Judge Craig Dally, He ignored an email from Tresslar stating, "The people who proposed these new procedures were, and are, demonstrably motivated by age and sex discrimination. They have certainly created a hostile work environment, not only for me but also for other women in the courthouse." Instead, he "immediately delegated his supervisory power over Plaintiff and the Custody Office to Court Administrator Greene, who was not an attorney, thereby elevating Greene to the position of Plaintiff’s supervisor."
Greene in turn subordinated Tresslar to a part-time custody master. He directed her to do her own clericsl work. He directed her to stop custody conferences after an hour and list them for trial. He forbade her from responding to judges who requested her assistance. He fired a clerk who had been assisting Tresslar.
The changes implemented by Greene got the attention of Judge John Morganelli, who at that time was Administrative Judge of the custody division. According to the filing, "advised President Judge Dally that the Custody Division had descended into chaos under Greene’s leadership. After evaluating the foregoing measures Greene had taken against Plaintiff, President Judge Dally and Judge Morganelli jointly decided to remove Greene's authority over the Custody Office and restore Plaintiff to the former scope of her role" He memorialized his agreement in an email to Tresslar. "Effective immediately, with approval of the [President Judge], you shall be charged with the scheduling of all of the custody conferences and assigning them to either yourself or [the recently-hired part-time custody master]. Court Administration will no longer be involved in the day-to-day operations of the custody division."
Greene responded by filing a complaint with the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts ("AOPC"). This, in turn, caused President Judge Dally to renege and place Greene back in charge. When Judge Morganelli learned of this, he resigned as Administrative Judge of the Custody Division.
The NorCo Court's loss was the District Attorney's gain. Tresslar currently is handling appeals for District Attorney Steve Baratta. He also hired the clerical employee that Greene fired.
Tresslar has declined comment about her complaint. So has Court Administrator Jermaine Greene.
Previous stories about this matter:
The Importance of Custody Court
Why Would I Dare Post About Tresslar's Ouster So Close to Judge Sletvold's Retention Election?
Lisa Tresslar's Value as a Custody Master
.You can read the Complaint yourself here:
Tresslar Complaint by BernieOHare
Excellent!! I can't wait to watch this unfold. I was hoping she would sue.
ReplyDeleteGet the popcorn ready. The fact that Sletvold kept her seat for another 10 years (after this stunt) is an embarrasment.
Dude Terry Houck fuckin SUCKED. Stop it with the nonsense.
ReplyDeletethe term custody master is offensive. It should be custody person
ReplyDeleteWhen Baratta was the President Judge, wasn't Baratta the one who advocated for Mr. Greene to become the Court Administrator? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
ReplyDeleteThe parties named in this lawsuit earned it ten times over, and I sincerely hope that we finally see justice in Northampton County.
ReplyDeletePerhaps this will serve as warning to other members of the judiciary not to follow the example of Sletvolt, Roscioli and Greene. They had it coming and I look forward to seeing the cancer that they represent be purged from our justice system.
Bernie, you are at your best by providing local political news and opinion. You are hampered with the state and local stuff by your Trump Derangement Syndrome. But, now it seems, even your County political reports are inflicted by low-intellect responses. Seriously, you really should screen out some of the stuff that has no real value and resorts to lying and name-calling. Those are easy to spot.
ReplyDeleteNaturally, you could sensor THIS response as also having no educational value. So, maybe just consider it a suggestion to make visiting here daily more appealing to a greater audience. Seriously, I’ve always enjoyed coming here daily, but the amount of thoughtful dialogue has decreased. I think you know that.
"When Baratta was the President Judge, wasn't Baratta the one who advocated for Mr. Greene to become the Court Administrator? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
ReplyDeleteHe did, but he also brought Lisa Tresslar aboard. It is obvious what he thinks by virtue of the fact that he has her on his staff.
A court admin has to follow the wishes of the judges who put him there. I think he is carrying water for them, but we'll find out during discovery.
Greene is DEFINITELY carrying water for them and is functionally above the law due to the cover he receives from judges who benefit from his malfeasance. He is a disgrace.
Delete1:53, I have received low intellect responses since I started blogging in 2006. Some of my posts are themselves pretty low intellect, lol. There are more ugly insults now than before, and they happen to correspond with the rise of the person about whom you claim I suffer from TDS.
ReplyDeleteBernie 2:08 pm: I would love to know who Baratta employs. The previous DA was very transparent with the names and position of those on his staff. Unless I have missed the page, I don’t know one person employed in the DA’s office. Houck may have been way too pro-PR, but Baratta seems to have his people working in anonymity.
ReplyDelete3:49, I was critical of Baratta during the race, but he has been open about who he has employed. He revealed some of his picks in several interviews before taking office. In fact, I was critical of the Zito pick bc he is 80 and should be taking it easy. He revealed several other picks at two meetings of County Council. I am sure I could get a complete list with a simple request, even though he and I were at odds during the race and I am leery of statements he made during Sultana's ARD hearing. But this post is not about him. It is about custody master Lisa Tresslar and her lawsuit.
ReplyDeleteA lawsuit is only one perspective. The person suing. It's not always the truth
ReplyDelete5:01pm- You are correct. When I was a CPS worker, I was sued by Attorney John Karoly on behalf of a family and the lawsuit's allegations were published by Morning Call's editorial writer, Paul Carpenter, writing as though the allegations were true.
DeleteFast forward, the lawsuit was dismissed, The Morning Call issued me an apology, John Karoly was disbarred and incarcerated (not relating to the lawsuit) and Paul Carpenter's daughter is suing him for sexual abuse (Again, not relating to the lawsuit) . The parent in the lawsuit was ultimately convicted of child abuse and remains, to this day, on the Pennsylvania Child Abuse Registry as a "Founded" (not Indicated) Perpetrator.
The agency attorney on the case refused to support me in Court, completely threw me under the bus to administration (before the parent's conviction and lawsuit dismissal) and was ultimately promoted to lead attorney in a neighboring County- where she got caught up in the Sara Packer mess and eventually fired. However, while I'm that position (and spat with Sara Packer ) as lead C&Y attorney, she (and Packer) occasionally sent caseworkers to interview my children at school without any allegations. I would only find out because my kids would come home with C&Y business cards and tell me of the conversations. I'd confirm with the school that caseworkers were there, but strangely, there would be no follow up from the County. She/they would literally go on fishing expeditions.
There is so much age and sex discrimination in Northampton County Government since McClure became Executive. He needs to be investigated just like Lehigh County was.
ReplyDeleteI have it on good authority that Sletvold has been knocked down quite a few pegs in the government center by virtue of her dismal retention performance combined with the fact that she is a paranoid narcissist and cannot co-exist with anyone who does not utterly defer to the whims of her extreme arrogance.
ReplyDeleteShortly after the recent general election, Sletvold was snubbed in front of multiple members of the bar and the norco bench when other judicial retention candidates were congratulated and her name was not even mentioned. Shortly after, Sletvold vacated the room in shame and was not seen again that evening.
Something tells me that this bomb has been cooking for quite some time.
Re: April 9, 9:20 am - Does John Karoly work for Robert Goldman, one of the attorneys on the Tresslar case?
ReplyDelete2:07- Who cares. I still don't understand Bucks County Judge Garb siding with him in the fraudulent will case.
DeleteI used to have so much respect for Garb for being "fair and honest", until that decision.