Andrea Stroh Thompson sworn in as Collin County district clerk

Stroh Thompson has already filed for the March 6 Republican primary.

Andrea Stroh Thompson

Andrea Stroh Thompson was sworn in Tuesday morning as the new Collin County district clerk.

The Collin County Board of District Judges had approached Thompson as a candidate to replace Patricia Crigger, the county's previous district clerk who last week was found guilty of abuse of capacity and immediately removed from office.

"I feel very honored that all eight district judges were unanimous in selecting me," Thompson said. "They were looking for someone from outside the courthouse to bring a new perspective."

Thompson, a Plano attorney who married Kent Thompson about three years ago, was known for many years as Andrea Stroh.

"For business reasons, I had continued to be known as Andrea Stroh for some time," she said, "but I decided that now, as district clerk, it is a good time for everyone to get to know me as Andrea Stroh Thompson."

She added, "I feel that this is a unique opportunity for me to serve the county at a time when confidence in the district clerk's office needs to be restored. We really have a great district clerk's office, and I am looking forward to working with the other clerks and staff."

As district clerk, Thompson oversees about 65 employees in both the criminal division and civil division of the district clerk's office.

She has already filed as a candidate for the March 6 Republican primary, in hopes of being elected to the office she now holds. She will serve in the position as an appointed official until after the December 2012 general election. The winner of the November election will take over the remainder of the official term, which expires in December 2014.