Douglas H. Schlegel, who spent nearly 30 years in law enforcement before becoming elected to two terms as a Northampton County district judge, has died. He was 66.
Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said Tuesday that Schlegel died Monday in the emergency room of St. Luke’s Hospital-Allentown. An autopsy was completed Tuesday, but the cause and manner of death are pending further investigation, he said in a news release.
Schlegel was elected in 2011 as a district judge in the Slate Belt, for the region that includes Bath, Chapman, Stockertown and Wind Gap, along with Bushkill Township and portions of Moore and Plainfield townships. He replaced longtime District Judge Adrianne Masut, and the race was one of the most competitive in the СŷƵ that year. He was reelected in 2017.
Court records list his office as vacant. He retired Nov. 30, Northampton County Deputy Court Administrator Jenelle Crisafulli said in an email, with other judges filling in since then.
Crisafulli said this November’s election will determine Schlegel’s successor — Robert Kemmerer and Ellen Kingsley are running for the seat.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Judge Schlegel,” Northampton County President Judge Craig Dally said in a statement. “He was a true pillar of the legal community and an unwavering champion of justice. He was an honest and caring judge who approached every case with integrity and a deep respect for the law. He had a huge heart and was full of kindness and compassion.”
Before joining the court, Schlegel worked in law enforcement 20 years with Easton police and later as a Bushkill Township officer.Schlegel filed a federal lawsuit after he retired from the Easton police, alleging he was demoted for criticizing management. He received $25,000 and a pension boost as part of a settlement with the city.
During his career in law enforcement, he was a co-defendant in several police brutality lawsuits, which cost the city and its insurance company nearly $2.4 million in settlements.
Schlegel, who rose to the rank of captain, also earned a Carnegie Medal in 1997 for rescuing a resident from a house fire.
preside over lower court civil and minor criminal offenses. They also hold hearings in the initial stages of felony and misdemeanor cases. They do not have to be attorneys but must pass a certification course.
