MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) – On Friday, two newly appointed positions were officially sworn in at the Monongalia County Justice Center.

Perri Jo DeChristopher was first sworn in as a new Division Three, Circuit Court Judge of Monongalia County. Judge Robert B. Stone even invited DeChristopher’s daughter, Sydney Porter, and son, Chase Porter, up in front of the court to hold the bible during her oath of office.

Perri Jo DeChristopher has been working within the court for 25 years, and she said while she will miss her job at the prosecutor’s office, she is very excited to begin her new journey as a judge. “I will certainly dedicate myself to being a hard worker and to being fair and just, and treating everyone, really, with respect. And I think that’s what I look forward to putting out there into our circuit court,” she said in an interview with 12 News.

DeChristopher decided she wanted to take on this new role when Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Judge Phillip D. Gaujot retired at the end of this past year. She said it took her a while to decide to do it, but when she said yes, she thought “no one better than me, being from within the system, now being a judge in the system.”

After making this decision, this left a spot open in the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, and Gabrielle Mucciola was sworn in as a new Prosecutor Attorney Friday to fill DeChristopher’s vacancy.

“I have been prosecuting predominately domestic violence and sexual assaults since 2016, and so, those cases are really unique, in that they are victim-centered, victim-focused,” said Mucciola. “And that’s been my practice for a very long time, so while my caseload may change, I hope that I can really take the values that I learned prosecuting those cases and do good work for Monongalia County.”

Both women would like to thank their friends, family, and co-workers for supporting them on their swear-in day, and for helping them get to where they are. They are both looking forward to learning more every day, as well as continuing to serve the Monongalia County community.