New Berlin Woman Charged With Altering Jury Summons to Extend Work Absence

Hannah Marie Snook, 45, of New Berlin borough, was charged after Union County detectives determined she had altered an official jury duty summons to gain extra days away from her job, according to charges filed by the Union County District Attorney's Office.

Investigators say Snook edited the dates on an official jury duty letter issued by Union County, then presented the falsified document to her employer as evidence of extended jury service. The scheme, as described in the charges, allowed her to obtain additional days off work that she would not otherwise have been granted.

Union County detectives uncovered the alterations and referred the matter to the District Attorney's Office, which filed the charges. The case is now moving through the county court system; specific charge counts, bond status, and an arraignment date were not available at the time charges were filed.

Altering or forging court documents to deceive an employer can result in criminal charges of forgery and falsification under Pennsylvania law, offenses courts treat seriously because they strike at the reliability of official judicial records. A defendant who presents a fabricated court document also risks termination or other workplace consequences independent of any criminal outcome.

The case raises a practical question for employers across Union County: how to verify that jury summons letters are authentic before granting extended absences. County courts issue the notices, and businesses that accept them without independent verification may reassess that approach in the wake of this case.

Additional details, including the specific criminal counts, bond conditions, and scheduled hearings, will become available through the Union County court docket as the case proceeds.