Three public officials elected in November's general election were sworn in Tuesday in the Schuylkill County courthouse. More than 200 family members, friends, a full compliment of judges, and state and county officials attended.

Taking the oath was newly elected District Attorney Christine A. Holman, who became the first woman elected district attorney of Schuylkill County.However, the honor of being the first woman to hold the office of district attorney goes to outgoing District Attorney Karen Byrnes Noon, who was appointed to serve the remaining two years of the unexpired term of James P. Goodman, who resigned to become a county judge.Also taking the oath were Associate Judge John P. Domalakes of Frackville, who was elected on a retention ballot for another 10 years; and attorney David J. Rossi of Washington Township, newly elected magisterial district judge of Magisterial District 21-3-04, which covers the western part of the county. He replaces retiring District Justice Carol A. Pancake.Associate Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin swore in Holman, while President Judge William E. Baldwin swore in Domalakes and Rossi.Dolbin, in swearing in Holman, he was honored that she asked him to administer the oath.He noted when he became judge 22 years ago she was his first law clerk."Now she is about to engage in a new phase of her career, in which, we all know she will excel again," Dolbin said. "In my short 40 years of practice and on the bench, I have worked under or with some very fine district attorneys the late Richard Russell, Claude Shields, Frank Cori, James Goodman and Karen Byrnes Noon. I know, attorney Holman that you will use your formidable legal skills and intellect to be an effective district attorney and to add your name to this August list."After swearing in Domalakas and Rossi, Baldwin noted that a fourth elected official, Sheriff Joseph G. Groody, was sworn in at an earlier date because he took his family to Florida for a brief vacation. Groody was re-elected to a second full term.The six county judges, Baldwin, Dolbin, Domalakes, Jacqueline Russell, Charles M. Miller and James P. Goodman sat en banc and joining them on the bench was Federal District Judge John E. Jones and Senior Judge D. Michael Stine. Also, the district judges from the county's eight magisterial districts.Seated in the VIP section were state Sen. David J. Argall; state Representatives Jerry Knowles and Michael Tobash; as well as the county commissioners and other county officials.