Court News

It takes a lot of confidence to tell a Judge, “No.” But Pat Mingee has never lacked in confidence. When Administrative and Presiding Judge Brendan J. Sheehan told Pat that she would be the Court’s 2024 Franklin A. Polk Public Servant Award recipient, her answer was simply, “No.”

But Judge Sheehan refused to take “No” for an answer.

It’s not that Pat wasn’t honored to be chosen for this special recognition, it’s just that Pat, like so many dedicated public servants, prefers to do her job quietly and efficiently with as little fuss as possible. 

"If you walk the halls of the Common Pleas Court, eventually you’ll hear someone say, "I'm not sure, let me ask Pat" or "I think Pat may know," said Judge Sheehan. "Like Prince, Adele, Elton, and so many other icons, you don’t need a last name to know who they’re talking about."

Pat began working for the Court in 1998 as the Fiscal Officer for the Corrections Planning Board. In 2011, Pat was promoted to the position of Payroll Officer/HR Assistant in Court Administration. Since that time, she has managed the time of a staff of nearly 500 employees, making sure that everyone gets paid on time and appropriately.

Pat is one of the first people every new court employee or Judge meets as she walks them through benefits enrollment, many for the first time ever in their professional careers. She is usually the first person who is aware of an employee's imminent retirement from the Court, and she’s learned how to break that news gently to court administration.

"Pat's work at the Court makes a difference to every employee and every Judge," added Judge Sheehan. "She is so very deserving of this recognition, and I thank the Bar Foundation for letting us honor employees like Pat every year."

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