MIDDLEBURG – Snyder County Judge Harold F. Woelfel Jr. ruled today that a proposal by the county commissioners to eliminate an assistant district attorney position is against the law.

District Attorney Michael H. Sholley filed a lawsuit against the commissioners after he learned the position was eliminated. The judge made his decision following a hearing today in Snyder County Court.

At a Dec. 4 meeting, the Snyder County commissioners unanimously voted to dissolve the county's second assistant district attorney position, reasoning that with Mr. Sholley's switch next month from part to full time -- which includes a $96,000 increase in his salary -- the county would be overstaffed.

But Mr. Sholley asserts that the commissioners cannot legally remove the position from the county's payroll. To do that, he said, they'd need to bring it to the Snyder County Salary Board.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.