(York) -- A York County judge has passed away. Judge Clarence Patterson Junior died this afternoon of a sudden cardiac event at York Hospital after collapsing outside the courthouse. The 62-year-old had been on the Bench of the York County Court of Common Pleas since January of 2010. His assignment was in the family division. "This is a tragic loss to the judicial system and all of York County," said President Judge Stephen Linebaugh. "Judge Patterson was an excellent judge and a wonderful person. In his short tenure on the bench he made an indelible impact on the lives of the many children and juveniles who came before him." Judge Harry Ness said, "I was honored to share the campaign trail and join the Bench with Judge Patterson. He was a fine judge, a good friend and his time with us was too short." Patterson previously served as a county prosecutor for 22 years, where he handled murder cases and other high-profile crimes.