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Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Courts - Year-end report on Grant County courts
"THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Tight docket, budget limit courts - Retiring judge: 2005 caseload 'a grim picture'" reads the headline to a story by Katie Albright in today's Marion Chronicle-Tribune. A few quotes from a lengthy story:
"There was an enormous increase in criminal caseloads," Grant Circuit Court Judge Thomas Hunt said. "It was very straining for us, fiscally as well. The county is in a terrible financial situation."In September, the Grant County Council decided in a 5-2 vote to cut the county prosecutor's budget in 12 areas, including everything from the office telephone to education and training. * * *
And all the problems facing the Grant County judicial system are being fed by crime.
"In 2004, we had 382 major felony cases filed in Superior Courts 1 and 2 by the end of the year," he said. "We have 375 cases filed this year so far, and we could have several more filings by the end of it all. For a small staff, that's a big challenge."
Luttrull also asked the council to restore another deputy prosecutor position in the same September council meeting, which he said could help with the overflow of cases. After a short hiring freeze, the council and the Grant County commissioners approved his request.
"I'm looking forward to hiring replacements for vacancies we've had this year," he said. "I'm excited to introduce new individuals to the prosecution office."
In the same council meeting, Superior Court 3 Judge Natalie Conn and Circuit Court judge Hunt presented their budgets, resulting in jury expenses being moved and handled through the Supplemental Public Defender fund.
Hunt said the court budget has been about the same for many years, and the financial problem is more complex than a few appropriations. "At some point (the council) will have to bite the bullet and prioritize."
Hunt said the courts have had to shift caseloads to outside offices and pay private attorneys hourly wages to handle the cases in order to avoid running over their allotted maximum number of caseloads per office. He added the council is not reimbursing costs for this action.
"We're bursting at the seams with caseloads," he said. "It's not like we can turn business away. It's a very grim picture."
Hunt said the stress is one of the reasons he decided not to run for office again in 2005, ending a 25-year judicial career. He announced his decision in mid-July.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on December 27, 2005 09:10 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts