As I continue asking for the support of the East Ridge voters. I believe it is important to address questions that have been raised about my experience, my record, and the operation of the City Court clerk’s office. Voters deserve honest answers and a clear understanding of what this position truly requires.
I hold a paralegal certificate and have spent more than 35 years in the legal field, including the past 12 years serving as your East Ridge Court clerk. I have been elected by the citizens of this community three times, and I take that responsibility seriously.
This job is far more than managing an office. It is about understanding the court system and knowing how to do the work. The City court clerk’s office handles responsibilities that directly affect our court, law enforcement, attorneys, and the citizens who come through our doors. These responsibilities include preparing and managing, dockets, processing warrants and subpoenas, understanding, bonding procedures, maintaining accurate, legal records, completing required state reporting, and coordinating with the judge, prosecutors, public defenders, private attorneys, law enforcement, and Bonding companies.
These responsibilities require knowledge, accuracy, sound judgment, and an understanding of how each part of the court system works together. Mistakes in this environment can have real consequences. I respect the work of nurses, real estate professionals, and people in every other profession. Those careers require their own valuable skills and experience. However, experience in another field does not automatically translate into the specialized knowledge needed to operate a court clerk’s office. There is a difference between being capable of learning a job and being prepared to perform.
Our citizens deserve someone who can step into this position with the knowledge and experience to do the work not someone who must first learn the fundamentals after being elected.
Experience should be measured by more than a title.
Questions have also been raised about employee turnover during my time in office. I believe it is important to look at the circumstances rather than simply count names. During my tenure, one employee retired, two left on their own, four transferred to other departments within the city and one moved to county employment. Those are different circumstances, and they should not all be treated as evidence of the same problem.
East Ridge has also experienced changes in leadership over these years. That is not an excuse for anything, nor does it tell the entire story of any department. It simply reinforces an important point: Numbers without context do not tell the whole story. If we are going to evaluate leadership, we should look at the circumstances, the work being done, the challenges faced, and the results achieved. That is the standard I believe is fair, and it is the standard I welcome voters to apply to my record.
I did not just manage the office. I worked to improve it. Over the past 12 years, I have continually looked for ways to make our court more efficient, strengthen operations, protect public resources, and better serve East Ridge.
When our office needed better coordination with other courts, I worked to integrate our system with the Hamilton County court system.
When residents needed a practical way to meet their court obligations, I implemented payment plans that have helped people work toward regaining their driving privileges while remaining accountable to the court.
When we saw an opportunity to recover older unpaid fines and cost, I established a relationship with a professional collection agency at no cost to the city. Over the past four years our court has collected more than $1.2 million in fines and cost on our diligent work in the office. Our collection efforts have provided another way to pursue outstanding older accounts while protecting city resources.
When room operations needed to evolve, I re-introduced WebEx appearance to improve security while supporting efficiency and accessibility.
When I recognized the need to preserve records and make them easier to access, I began transitioning our records to searchable digital files.
I also allocated funds from the court’s own budget to purchase a transport van for the police department, helping address, safety concerns involving officers and individuals transported from the jail to court. This was an investment made through the court budget to meet a practical need in our community.
These improvements did not happen simply because I held the title of court clerk. They were required, recognizing problems, understanding the needs of the court, working through solutions, and following through. I didn’t just identify challenges; I worked I didn’t just solve them. I didn’t just rely on experience. I used it to produce results.
The 2022 vote was a decision made by the citizens. In 2022, East Ridge voters were asked whether the city court clerk should remain an elected position or become an appointed position. The certified election results show that 1,465 voters opposed the proposed change, while 603 supported it. Every voter was entitled to make that decision, and I respect the Democratic process. The referendum was about how the position should be filled; it did not erase the responsibilities of the office or diminish the importance of doing the job well. Ultimately, I believe accountability to the citizens is important. I stand before those same citizens today, asking them to examine my qualifications, my record, and the work I have done on their behalf.
I am not asking voters to support me simply because I have been in office for 12 years. I am asking them to consider what those 12 years of experience have taught me, and what that experience has allowed me to accomplish. There will always be challenges in public service. There will always be opportunities to improve. I have never claimed that an office cannot be made better. In fact, believing that it can be improved is exactly what has driven my work. My commitment is to continue strengthening the court, protecting public resources, supporting the people who work within our justice system, and treating the citizens who come before us with professionalism and respect. Experience matters. Knowledge matters. Accountability matters. And results matter.
On November 3, East Ridge voters will choose who they believe is best prepared to serve as City Court Clerk. I respectfully ask you to look beyond campaign claims and consider the qualifications, hands-on experience, and proven record each candidate brings to this important position.
I have dedicated more than three decades to the legal field and 12 years to serving this community in its role. I am proud of the improvements we have made, the challenges we have addressed, and the responsibility I have carried on behalf of the City Of East Ridge.
Experience is not simply the number of years someone holds in a position. It is the knowledge gained, the problems solved, the judgment developed, and the results delivered along the way.
It has been an honor to serve the citizens of East Ridge, and I would be honored to earn your vote again on November 3 and continue serving our community as your City Court Clerk.
Respectfully,
Patricia Cassidy,
East Ridge Court clerk
