Jan. 6, 1986 – For the first time, Clearfield County has two judges. Sworn in by President Judge John K. Reilly Jr. as the second judge was Joseph Scofield Ammerman of Curwensville.
A photo shows Judge Ammerman being helped with his robe for the first time by his brother, David Shearer Ammerman (left) and Judge Ammerman’s nephew, Fredric Joseph Ammerman (later district attorney and current president judge).
Another photo shows Judge Joseph S. Ammerman on the bench for the first time (left) with President Judge John K. Reilly Jr. (center) and Senior Judge John A. Cherry (formerly Clearfield County president judge).
Clearfield County had 12 judges from 1822 when its court system was established, until 1883, but the 13th, David Luther Krebs, has the distinction of being the first county resident to be elected judge and the first to preside over a Clearfield County court that was its own judicial district.
The establishment of Clearfield County as a judicial district of its own came about by legislative act in 1883 when the county reached a population of 40,000 to qualify. Prior to that the county had been attached to Centre and Clinton counties for judicial purposes.
Clearfield County currently has two judges, President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman and Judge Paul E. Cherry.