A Marshall County judge proposes an effort to help reduce the jail population and alleviate case load problems by adding another General Jurisdiction Court.
Marshall County Superior Court No. 2 Judge Dean Colvin told the Marshall County Commissioners Monday morning that discussions to add another court have been ongoing for several years. However, on Sept. 11, 2018, Judge Colvin said talks increased at that time when the jail population reached overcrowding status.
“As the county commissioners, the county council and other stakeholders look at the issues that are created by perhaps the overcrowding of the county jail, what contribution can the courts make to help resolve that issue? What judicial resources would do to help in that case would certainly open up a calendar that would allow us to handle additional cases here in Marshall County whether they be criminal or civil,” said Judge Colvin.
Judge Colvin noted that the Bar Association unanimously supports an additional court in Marshall County. Marshall County Circuit Court Judge Robert O. Bowen and Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 Judge Curtis Palmer also support the implementation of Marshall County Superior Court 3.
The severity of need and utilization statistics relayed to the commissioners shows that an additional judge is needed.
The county won’t be responsible for paying the judge’s wages as that is taken care of by the state, but the county will need to consider other salaries for court staff, if the additional court is approved.
“You’d have the cost of hiring additional support people in the court system including an administrator, clerk, a recorder, perhaps a court baliff/receptionist for that new court similarly structured in terms of its expenses as would be expected in Superior Court No. 1.”
From the local level, Judge Colvin would need to present the same information to those who serve on the Committee on Courts and Code at the state level who would either approve or deny the proposal. If it is approved, then it would be presented in a bill to the State Legislature for a vote. If it receives favorable support, the Governor would sign a bill and then Marshall County Superior Court No. 3 could be put into operation after July 1, 2020.
As for space for Superior Court No. 3, Colvin said that the court would occupy the current space utilized by Marshall County Community Corrections in the courthouse.
Commissioner Mike Delp said he wasn’t ready to support the proposal without asking further questions while Commission President Kevin Overmyer commented that while there are several moving parts to the judicial system he publicly supports the proposal. Commissioner Stan Klotz said he believes there might not be a choice.
Judge Colvin will appear before the Marshall County Council members next week with the same information to gather support.
