Local leaders pitch plan for another district judge
Thursday, January 17, 2008 5:32 AM PST
By Stephanie Mathieu
The Daily News
Printable version
E-mail this articleOLYMPIA - On a typical Monday morning, Judge David Koss hears cases involving petty crimes, traffic infractions and misdemeanors, and then has a scant five minutes to scarf down part of his lunch.
Then his afternoon begins. He'll handle about 50 probation violation hearings, take a quick break at some point to finish the rest of his meal, then hear another 25 cases.
His demanding schedule, shared with one other Cowlitz County District Court judge, leaves little time for preparation and means defendants wait longer to resolve their cases, Koss said Wednesday.
Koss and other Cowlitz County officials went to Olympia on Wednesday hoping to change that. Koss, Commissioner George Raiter, and District Court Administrator Delaura Wirkkala petitioned the Senate's Judiciary Committee to pass Senate Bill 6252, which would increase the number of the court's judges from two to three.
District Court has had two justices since the early 1960s. During the last six years alone, the workload has increased 20 percent, and case load is almost enough to warrant four judges, according to a report by the state's Administrative Office of the Courts.
"It's just really intense and really busy," Koss told the committee. "We don't make this request lightly."
Koss speculated that his workload has increased because the new Cowlitz County Jail completed in 2006 allows police to arrest more people. He also said local law enforcement agencies have hired more officers.
"Our judges do spend an awful lot of time on the bench," Wirkkala testified. "This is really something Cowlitz County needs desperately."
Adding a third district court judge will cost the county about $170,000 in 2009, Raiter said. The county may also have to fund an additional court clerk, county officials added.
Koss and Wirkkala said the county's Hall of Justice has plenty of room for another judge. The hall was constructed in the 1970s with three District Court rooms and three judges chambers.
Across the board, county justice officials have complained of staff shortages. The system received some relief last year with the establishment of an office of public defense, easing the workload on private contract defense attorneys.
Local lawmakers expect smooth sailing for SB 6252 and its companion bill 2762 in the House.
Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, sponsored the bill, which has the backing of all legislators from the 18th and 19th Districts, which include Cowlitz County. Hatfield said in an interview Wednesday that the Senate bill has a good chance of passing the committee and that committee chair Adam Kline, D-Seattle, appeared receptive to the idea.
"You don't have to twist his arm about these bills," Hatfield said.
To track this bill online:
Watch the progress of SB 6252 or its companion HB 2762, which would add another district court judge to Cowlitz County, by selecting "Bill Search" on the Legislature's Web site, www.leg.wa.gov
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