Bucks judge seeks outside jurist for Risoldi case

Bucks County's president judge has requested that a jurist from outside the county oversee the insurance fraud case against members of the politically connected Risoldi family and their associates.

Judge Jeffrey Finley asked the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts to assign a senior judge to the case, said Finley's assistant, Catherine Yedinak.

The Risoldis regularly threw fund-raisers at their extravagant mansion near New Hope for prominent Bucks County Republicans, including District Attorney David Heckler, Sheriff Edward "Duke" Donnelly, and U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R., Pa.).

Heckler said last month that he had recused his office from investigating the Risoldis due to a potential conflict of interest, referring the case instead to the state Attoreny General's Office.

Last month, the AG's office charged four members of the Risoldi family - plus two co-consiprators - with a slew of felonies, including insurance fraud and corruption. Prosecutors allege that the Risoldis collected $20 million in faulty insurance payments after their mansion caught fire three times in five years.

Claire Risoldi's attorney has said she will fight the charges.

Preliminary hearings in the case were scheduled to take place Monday, Feb. 9, at Magisterial District Court in Doylestown, but have been postponed pending Finley's request for a new judge, a court clerk said Thursday.

- Chris Palmer