Dayich takes bench as new judge
Greene County Judge Lou Dayich takes the oath of office Monday while his mother, Loretta, holds a Bible.
Greene County Judge Lou Dayich puts on his new robe with the help of his mother, Loretta.
Greene County Judge Lou Dayich sits with President Judge Farley Toothman during a swearing-in ceremony Monday morning at the Greene County Courthouse.
WAYNESBURG – Lou Dayich spent his first few moments as a Greene County judge thinking about who served over the years in the very courthouse where he will now be working.
“You have this great responsibility, this great privilege,” Dayich said of being a county judge. “You’re accepting the baton from another generation and the race continues.”
Dayich took that “baton” in the form of the oath of office during a Monday morning ceremony, along with dozens of county, township, borough and municipal officials who won their elections last November.
Dayich won his seat by just 86 votes over Jeff Grimes, his Republican challenger, in the November election. He thanked even his detractors during the speech and said he would serve them just the same as anyone else who comes before the court.
“Without you, there would be no democracy, no dialogue and no true exchange of ideas,” Dayich said.
Greene County Public Defender Harry Cancelmi introduced Dayich and called him a “good and happy spirit” before rattling off the list of positions he served throughout his life. Dayich once operated a hot dog shop called “Sweet Lou’s” before working as a public defender and eventually becoming a district magistrate 15 years ago.
“To his credit, he served them fairly and fairly well,” Cancelmi said of his time as magistrate.
While speaking to a standing-room crowd gathered in the main courtroom for the ceremony, Dayich paused briefly when he mentioned his late father, Louis, who died nearly a decade ago, and the values he taught him. Dayich said he hoped he learned lessons from his father that will help him while on the bench.
“My dad was a very bright, quiet guy with sort of a dry sense of humor,” Dayich said. “He had that penchant for politics. He had that gift of being a person who people liked and he liked to meet them.”
Dayich’s swearing-in and brief speech were the culmination of a nearly hourlong ceremony inside the main courtroom. President Judge Farley Toothman administered the oaths of office for all of the newly elected officials and wished each of them luck as they began their new terms.
“They will build their legacy and collectively shape Greene County each day,” Toothman said. “A new year, a new term, a new face – or maybe not – but presenting a challenge to us all.”
Dayich will begin his new job immediately when he presides over motions court today before overseeing jury selection later this week. He then was expected to travel to State College next week for a seven-day judicial orientation before returning later this month to begin a trial term.