Jean A. Engler is Carbon County's first female district attorney.

On Friday afternoon, Engler was sworn in by the Honorable Richard W. Webb in front of family, friends, colleagues and former District Attorney Gary F. Dobias, who retired from the office Friday. Engler has served in the capacity of first assistant district attorney since January, and as an assistant district attorney since 1989.President Judge Roger Nanovic welcomed everyone to the event.He then turned it over to Webb, who called Engler to the floor."It is truly a pleasure to do this today," he told her as she raised her right hand while her siblings, attorneys Joseph and Jane Engler, held the Bible.Once Engler was sworn in, she addressed the audience.She thanked everyone for being there to support her through the years of her career.Engler then remembered four very special people who touched her life. They included her parents, the late attorney W. Joseph and Mary Engler; the late Judge David Addy, and the late Detective Joseph V. Pampanin."My parents were here with me almost 30 years ago, right in this spot, as I got sworn into the bar association," she said as she teared up. "I'm sorry they can't be here today."She thanked the members of the district attorney's office for being a dedicated group of individuals; those on the bar association, and the judges who oversee the courts in Carbon County.Finally, she thanked Dobias for being a strong leader over the last 22 years, eight months."We're all sorry to see you go, but thank you for being an exceptional district attorney," she said. "You were so hard working and you were such an influence on all of us."Engler is a lifelong resident of Carbon County, residing in Jim Thorpe.She has four siblings, John, attorneys Joseph and Jane, and Joan.She is a graduate of Marian Catholic High School; Villanova University and Villanova University School of Law.Following graduation, she returned to Jim Thorpe to join her sister, Jane, in her practice and joined the county as an assistant district attorney under then District Attorney Richard W. Webb.Over the years, she has prosecuted hundreds of criminal cases under Dobias; and has been an active member in the community; and was the chancellor of the Carbon County Bar Association in 2009.Engler will hold the position of district attorney until 2015. The seat will then be up for election, per the county code and it will be her choice at that time if she will seek election.