OLYMPIA - Public hearings on two bills designed to add a third

Grant County District Court judge were held last week.

Senate Bill 5170 and House Bill 1236 would add an additional

district court judge in Grant County. If they are passed, the judge

could start as early as 2012 and as late as 2014.

OLYMPIA - Public hearings on two bills designed to add a third Grant County District Court judge were held last week.

Senate Bill 5170 and House Bill 1236 would add an additional district court judge in Grant County. If they are passed, the judge could start as early as 2012 and as late as 2014.

Grant County Commissioner Carolann Swartz and district court Judge Janis Whitener-Moberg attended a public hearing at the House Committee on Judiciary last week.

Rep. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, one of six sponsors of the bill, stated Grant County is unique because the judges travel to eight cities in the county to hold municipal court, in addition to the district court case load.

"Another judge would help with the case load and responsibilities across Grant County," she stated. "Both of the current judges preside over driving under the influence and drug cases as well as hearings. Clearly there is a lot of judicial work to be done and we need to ensure citizens have equal access to the courts and speedy trials. Adding a judge would allow more citizens to be served across the county."

Whitener-Moberg and Swartz told the committee Grant County has twice as many cases requiring interpreters, making cases take longer than usual.

Whitener-Moberg said in a previous interview the change will allow judges more time for administration and to make improvements. It also allows the judge to spend more time with each case. She pointed to the public defender calendar where the judges deal with an average of 200 to 250 cases a day.

The senate bill was forwarded to the rules committee, which will decide if it goes to the Senate for a second reading. The house committee is scheduled to make a decision on their version on Thursday.