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Court Administrator Resigns
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Court Administrator Resigns
August 4, 2012
By Valerie Hartman
Jackson County Court Public Information Officer
In late May of this year, members of the Circuit Court of Jackson County learned of concerns regarding possible inappropriate expenditures of court funds by the Court Administrator at that time, Teresa York. After an initial review, the Court hired independent outside professionals, including a forensic accountant, to conduct an internal investigation. Ms. York was simultaneously placed on administrative leave on June 4.
Appropriate, timely and voluntary disclosures and referrals were also made by the Court to the Office of the State Courts Administrator, the Missouri Supreme Court, the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel and law enforcement officials. Further, the Court has had several contacts with representatives of the Office of the Missouri State Auditor.
The Court has now largely concluded its internal investigation and confirmed the initial concerns which led to the investigation. Ms. York violated court purchasing procedures regarding the handling and expenditure of court funds and usage of court purchasing cards. Ms. York resigned on July 2, 2012. The Court has turned over to law enforcement officials, information from its internal investigation regarding the misuse of court funds by Ms. York.
“The Court depended upon Teresa York for many years to manage Court functions and funds professionally and ethically, and we have been taken aback in the past few weeks to find that our trust was misplaced,” said Presiding Judge Charles E. Atwell.
The Court has appointed Jeff Eisenbeis as Interim Court Administrator and is actively and promptly working to review and strengthen its internal management controls to insure that public funds are appropriately protected in the future. The Court, through the Interim Court Administrator, has instituted immediate protections regarding all purchases, requisitions and court expenditures.
For a variety of legal and ethical reasons, including the fact that there has been a referral to law enforcement, the Court cannot comment beyond this statement at this time.
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