An assistant public defender in Carbon County Courts has been pegged to move into the chief spot that became vacant in April.

Last week, the county commissioners approved a change of status for Paul J. Levy of Allentown. Levy moves from the first assistant public defender to temporary full-time chief public defender trainee, which went into effect on Monday. His salary will be $90,000 a year, which was set by the county in March.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich, in an email Tuesday, said that Levy is the new “full-time chief public defender in his initial employment period” under the county’s personnel policy.

This means that after the six-month probationary period, Levy’s title will drop the temporary and trainee.

Levy has served in the public defender’s office for over 25 years.

The position opened in April after the commissioners terminated longtime chief public defender Gregory L. Mousseau.

A representative for Mousseau’s family said that he was not terminated, but rather submitted his resignation the morning the commissioners took the action.