Talks to settle the Jane Doe lawsuit involving several Schuylkill County government officials – namely Commissioner George Halcovage – have fallen apart.
According to recent court documents we’ve obtained, Catherine Smith, a Philadelphia attorney with Derek Smith Law Group, wrote to US District Judge Malachy Mannion back on Aug. 18 to ask that the case be removed from the “mediation track” and put back on a schedule to go to trial.
“The parties, along with the assistance of Joe Barrett, Esq., have engaged in discussions and exchanged correspondence regarding settlement and amicable resolution,” Smith’s letter to Mannion reads. “However, to date, the parties have been unsuccessful in resolving this matter. As such, at this time, Plaintiffs are requesting that this matter be removed from the “mediation” track and a case management schedule be set.”
Mannion has responded to that request from the Jane Doe lawyer and has set a conference date of Sept. 28 to lay out a schedule for the lawsuit going forward.
Settlement Talks Fizzle on Halcovage Lawsuit
Four Jane Doe employees at Schuylkill County Courthouse filed a federal lawsuit against Halcovage and Solicitor Glen Roth, and Administrator Gary Bender claiming sexual harassment on the part of the Commissioner and attempts to cover up that behavior by Roth and Bender.
- Shocking Allegations of Sexual Harassment, Cover-Ups, and Political Bullying in Lawsuit Filed Against Halcovage, Schuylkill County Officials
- Jane Doe 2: Halcovage Ruined My Marriage, Made Child Custody Threats
The lawsuit was filed nearly a year after Halcovage stepped down as Chairman of the Commissioners when an internal Courthouse investigation revealed he likely violated several workplace policies. All along, Halcovage has resisted calls for him to resign from office from nearly all levels of government. An impeachment proceeding in Harrisburg against Halcovage is currently in its early stages.
Halcovage maintains he’s done nothing wrong.
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