Former clerk gets probation in estate case

A former Allegheny County probate clerk who was charged in connection with the filing of an estate that was later voided entered a court program on Friday for nonviolent firsttime offenders.

Thomas Halligan, 59, of Wilkins entered Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, which allows offenders to clear their records after serving probation, before county Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski.

He will serve 12 months of probation and must complete 75 hours of community service within the first nine months. He was not required to pay restitution.

“I know that he’s embarrassed,” said Michael DeRiso, Mr. Halligan’s attorney. “Tom’s a great guy from a great family. He made a simple lapse of judgment. Fortunately, no harm came of it, and it was corrected by Tom within days after the mistake. So hopefully he can get a job somewhere else and be able to support to his family.”

Mr. Halligan was a probate clerk with the county department of court records, in the wills and Orphans’ Court division.

Investigators said Mr. Halligan and Beechview-based attorney Thomas O’Neill, 75, worked together in August on the million-dollar estate of John D. Wargo, who died in July.

On Aug. 11, Mr. O’Neill approached the counter at which Mr. Halligan worked, and “slowly and painstakingly signed” an estate document, according to a police affidavit. Mr. Halligan then put it into a drawer, according to the affidavit. The executrix was not present, but the investigation later showed that her name was on one of the signature lines.

According to the affidavit, Mr. Halligan sought two weeks later to “reverse” the estate — an act that the affidavit described as “very unusual.”

According to the affidavit, when detectives later interviewed Mr. Halligan, he “stated that he made a mistake in judgment,” and voided everything. He told detectives he “did not watch O'Neill sign the forms” but confirmed that he “doesn't know how else they would have gotten signed.”

Both were charged with securing execution of documents by deception, false swearing, tampering with public records and obstructing administration of law.

Mr. Halligan was suspended during the investigation, but a county spokeswoman said Friday that he was no longer employed by the county.

Mr. O’Neill faces a nonjury trial in July.