Washington County Common Pleas President Judge Debbie O'Dell Seneca told The Valley Independent on Tuesday she will retire effective Monday.

Her 10-year term is not scheduled to expire until 2021.

O'Dell Seneca, 61, has served 23 years on the bench and was the county's first female judge. She was elected in 1991 and joined the bench in January 1992.

By retiring now, O'Dell Seneca said, she gives potential judicial candidates time to prepare campaigns next year.

O'Dell Seneca is the target of a whistleblower lawsuit filed Aug. 18 by a former county juvenile probation officer.

Last month the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed another judge to take over her responsibilities as the county's administrative judge.

O'Dell Seneca said the events of the last year have played little in her decision to retire, “other than its made me think about (retirement) again.”

David Scrip, 53, of Monongahela claims in a lawsuit that O'Dell Seneca and Thomas Jess, director of county probation services, illegally fired him in February.

Scrip claimed the firing came after he anonymously reported that Daniel Clements, his direct supervisor, was having a romantic relationship with a woman who worked at Abraxas Youth and Family Services, a youth treatment and detention center.

As president judge, O'Dell Seneca administered the juvenile probation office.

According to the lawsuit, Scrip contended the relationship constituted a conflict of interest, and that Clements made probation officers place juveniles at Abraxas to curry favor for his girlfriend, whose job was to solicit juvenile probation departments to send children to the company's facilities.

After a “sham” investigation, according to the lawsuit filed in Common Pleas Court, O'Dell Seneca declared there was no conflict of interest and said she wouldn't tolerate criticism.

She fired Scrip on Feb. 18.

Last month, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille announced the appointment of Senior Judge Joseph M. James as interim Washington County administrative judge. James is a former Allegheny County president judge.

In the wake of that decision, five of O'Dell Seneca's colleagues revealed they asked the state Supreme Court to relieve the president judge of her administrative duties.

Judges Katherine E. Emery, John F. DiSalle, Gary Gilman, Valarie Costanzo and Michael Lucas acted in part because O'Dell Seneca tried to have a longtime court reporter reassigned.

In a statement, the judges indicated additional concerns about “court administration and managerial decision-making.”

O'Dell Seneca continued to serve as president judge and carry a full caseload. James is responsible for administrative and operational matters.

“It was nice not to have that second full-time job over my head,” O'Dell Seneca said. “I was first and foremost a trial lawyer.

“To be able to be free from the day-to-day signing of orders – it was almost like Grand Central Station in here – to focus on my cases has been refreshing. It has been kind of renewing.

“It relieved a lot of pressure after 10 years.”

On Monday, O'Dell Seneca said had she waited until her 62nd birthday – in mid-2015 – to retire, a lengthy vacancy on the bench would have been possible because county judicial seats are contested in elections held in odd years.

“No one would be able to run until 2017,” O'Dell Seneca said of that scenario. “I couldn't do that to the good citizens of Washington County.”

In a statement, she wrote, “I want to thank the voters of Washington County for electing me on three occasions and entrusting me with the honor of serving our citizens for the last 23 years. After thousands of cases, these citizens have continually inspired me with their commitment to their role in the jury system.

“It has been a rewarding and enriching experience every day, and I look forward to new professional challenges.”

O'Dell Seneca, who holds a national mediation certificate, said she has been planning for a number of years to go into mediation. She has yet to decide whether to do so alone or with a partner.

“I've felt mediation was the wave of future,” O'Dell Seneca said.

“People will remember me as the first woman elected to this bench, but when I got here, I said I didn't want to be remembered as a woman, but as a judge.”

As president judge, she helped create specialty courts to address challenges faced by veterans, as well as those affected by mental illness and addiction.

In 2009, O'Dell Seneca helped create the Washington County's mortgage foreclosure program, which aids homeowners facing foreclosure.

She has served as the president judge of the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline, which hears cases involving allegations of judicial misconduct. Until her resignation, she served on the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges Ethics Committee.

O'Dell Seneca said she attended national judicial college, specializing in alternative dispute resolution, advance mediation and dispute resolution.

“It's been very beneficial to me as a judge,” O'Dell Seneca said.

O'Dell Seneca said several colleagues have gone into mediation after leaving the bench.

“My favorite saying is, ‘settlement is the best word in the English language,'” O'Dell Seneca said.

“It doesn't mean if I get this case settled, I have some time off because I go onto the next case. But I have had some lawyers say, ‘judge, if you hadn't participated in this we wouldn't have gotten this resolved.'”

O'Dell Seneca said her sole regret is the inability to see completion of the allegory figurines – or angels – a part of the original courthouse design. She said former county Commission J. Bracken Burns had worked with her to complete the job.

“We both have passion for this building,” O'Dell Seneca said of the courthouse.

“I want to be remembered for working hard, for having a good, strong work ethic and giving access to all parties.”

O'Dell Seneca laughed as she said her retirement has been 10 years in the making.

In June 2004, she said she spoke with then-President Judge David Gilmore about her plan to retire from the bench after 20 years of service. Her goal was to go into mediation. But on Sept. 30 of that year, Gilmore died, and O'Dell Seneca succeeded him.

Even after taking the president judge position, retirement after 20 years on the bench wasn't possible.

Based on the state equation combining age and years of service, she said, she was too young to retire.

“A lot of things are out of our control,” O'Dell Seneca said. “When the Good Lord changes your plans, you have to take a step back with a different perspective.”

Chris Buckley is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-684-2642 or cbuckley@tribweb.com.

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