State Rep. Jared Solomon Asks Judge to Consider Finding Sheriff Rochelle Bilal in Contempt of Court

Amid mounting problems at the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, a state lawmaker from Northeast Philadelphia is asking the city’s chief judge to investigate the office and take corrective action — and to consider holding Sheriff Rochelle Bilal in contempt of court if she fails to comply with her rulings.

IN letter sent on Wednesday evening to Judge President Nina Wright Padilla, state Rep. Jared Solomon, a Democrat, said he was “deeply concerned about the significant, publicly documented deficiencies and unacceptable backlogs” at the sheriff’s office, reported by The Inquirer and others news media and the City Controller.

The problems cited included: misappropriation of funds, long delays in notarial deed preparation, no-bid contracts, a three-year backlog of real estate auctions, allegations of missing weapons and mishandling of domestic violence cases, questionable pay increases, and millions of dollars in uncollected taxes.

“In order to restore safe and efficient administration of the Philadelphia courts and strengthen the public’s confidence in access to justice, as a friend of the court, I respectfully ask that you consider taking any action you deem appropriate and necessary to ensure consistency and stability in the Sheriff’s Office,” Solomon wrote.

Solomon suggested the court hold an evidentiary hearing to document the office’s “current deficiencies” and issue an administrative order to “ensure the safety of court personnel, court users, and the public; the security of financial and cash operations; and the timely management of documents.”

If Bilal, a Democrat who took office in 2020, does not address the misconduct, Solomon wrote to Wright Padilla, “the presiding judge may consider filing contempt of court proceedings against the Philadelphia sheriff.”

A spokesman for Common Pleas Judge Wright Padilla declined to comment on Solomon’s letter. A spokesman for Bilal did not respond to a request for comment.

City authorities claim their hands are tied

Solomon is calling for reform of the sheriff’s office after the Inquirer reported last month that winners of sheriff’s auctions were unable to obtain deeds to their properties.

Bilal officials have maintained for the past month that reports of wait times exceeding seven months were untrue. But last week they acknowledged the problem and said they were trying to fix it. The delays may also have been a violation Pennsylvania Rules of Civil ProcedureThe regulations require sheriffs to deliver deeds for registration “promptly” after they are sent to the court.

City officials have done little to address shortcomings at the sheriff’s office, saying their hands are tied because the sheriff is an independently elected official.

Solomon’s decision to appeal to Philadelphia’s presiding judge appears to be modeled on corrective actions taken in Dauphin County’s court system has been struggling with widespread dysfunction this year.

The presiding judge ordered an elected judicial officer to address performance issues or face contempt of court. When the officer resigned, the state Supreme Court this month declared a state of emergency and ordered the presiding judge to appoint a momentary acting officer.

Solomon said Philadelphia courts could do something similar.

“The presiding judge is responsible for the fair and efficient administration of the judicial system, and therefore has supervisory powers,” Solomon said in an interview on Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon, Aizaz Gill, the Republican candidate for the 172nd U.S. House of Representatives District, also in Northeast Philadelphia, issued a statement supporting Solomon’s efforts.

“Solving problems like the ones at the sheriff’s office will require leaders from both parties to put aside their partisanship and stand together,” Gill said. “I support Rep. Solomon in his call to action on this issue.”

The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office has long been a source of scandal and controversy: Former Sheriff John Green was sentenced to five years in prison in 2019 for accepting $675,000 in bribes, and his successor, Jewell Williams, has been hit with a half-dozen lawsuits alleging sexual harassment, retaliation and intimidation.

But under Bilal — who hosted a party to celebrate Green going to prison after her 2019 primary victory — several core functions of the office have broken down.

Solomon cited these issues in his letter to Padilla, including:

Sales of delinquent properties had been on hold since April 2021 after Bilal’s staff signed a no-bid, six-year contract with online auction company Bid4Assets without the approval of city attorneys. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker estimated the extended pause in sales left $35 million in uncollected taxes and made it challenging to neat up the damage. Sales resumed last month.

The sheriff’s office continues to withhold millions of dollars in service fee revenue that should go to city coffers. Instead, Bilal’s employees spend the money directly on everything from Tasers to promotional items, including Rochelle Bilal trading cards and a $9,250 foam mascot called “Deputy Sheriff Justice.” City Controller Audit said the Sheriff’s Office “operates outside the system of checks and balances established in the Home Rule Charter designed to protect taxpayer funds from mismanagement or abuse.”

Solomon noted that questions have also been raised about whether Bilal’s employees properly confiscate weapons in domestic violence cases and whether they account for other weapons they have.

The sheriff’s office could soon be getting more business: The city’s Landlord-Tenant Bureau, run by a private attorney, announced this week that it is on the brink of losing its insurance and could close by the end of next month.

If that happens, the Sheriff’s Office would likely be responsible for handling evictions. Landlords say they worry about whether the sheriff’s office can handle the workload given the existing problems.

IN statement on Thursday morningBilal addressed this issue: “We understand the importance of this responsibility and are committed to upholding the highest standards of justice and accountability.”

News researcher Ryan W. Briggs contributed to this article.