Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. wants to attend the depositions of some of the four courthouse employees suing him for sexual harassment, to assist his lawyer.

But the people being deposed don’t want him to be there in person.

A federal judge, asked to resolve the dispute, issued a memorandum on Wednesday ordering both sides to come to an agreement or hold the depositions in Harrisburg, with conditions placed on Halcovage.

Halcovage’s attorney, Gerard J. Geiger, wants to hold the depositions at the county courthouse and have his client present.

But the women are afraid of Halcovage, who is under a state court Sexual Violence Protection Order which prohibits him from having any contact either directly or indirectly with them, and do not want him physically present at the proceedings.

Instead, they want him to use technology to participate remotely.

Geiger contends that would be “inadequate to allow Halcovage to fully assist his attorney during these depositions,” United States Magistrate Judge Martin C. Carlson, U.S. District Court, Scranton, wrote in the memorandum.

The judge recommended both sides further explore doing the depositions remotely.

But if they can’t agree to that, “and if defendant Halcovage insists on conducting live depositions of the plaintiffs and wishes to attend those depositions,” Carlson ordered that they be conducted at the federal courthouse, Harrisburg, so he can monitor, oversee and intervene if necessary.

Further, considering the outstanding state court Sexual Violence Protection Order he’s under, Halcovage is “forbidden from having any contact either directly or indirectly with the plaintiffs. Thus, Halcovage will not enter the deposition room until after the deponent is seated. He will not speak to the deponent and will be seated in an appropriately remote location within the courtroom consistent with the degree of social distancing which would otherwise exist at trial,” Carlson wrote.

When the depositions have been done, each person will be able to exit the courtroom “in a manner which avoids any contact whatsoever with Halcovage.”

Also, while attending the depositions, Halcovage must refrain from any disruptive or intimidating nonverbal communication or conduct,” Carlson wrote.

The depositions are for the federal sexual harassment lawsuit the four women, identified as They are identified in the suit as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, and Jane Doe 4.

Named in the suit are Halcovage, County Administrator Gary R. Bender, Human Resources Director Heidi L. Zula, interim Human Resources Director Doreen Kutzler, First Assistant County solicitor Glenn T. Roth, and Schuylkill County.

Also on April 14, Halcovage and the other defendants filed oppositions to the U.S. Department of Justice’s April 1 request to join the case.

Halcovage’s opposition was filed by Geiger; the others were filed by attorney Christopher L. Scott.