The County Court at Law of Lamar County shares the authority to hear Family Law and General Civil cases with the two District Courts  – the 6th District Court (Judge Eric Clifford) and the 62nd District Court (Judge Scott McDowell).  The court can also preside over Mental Health, Juvenile and Criminal cases (misdemeanor) along with the County Court (Judge Chuck Superville).  The court can also hear other types of cases as allowed by the Legislature (e.g. guilty pleas in felony cases). 

I believe that in most circumstances a court should be operated as efficiently as a private business.  Public servants should be expected to work as hard, and be as productive as, workers in the private sector.  With regards to the County Court at Law this includes opening the court’s doors at 9:00am Monday through Friday with all court staff – judge, court reporter and bailiff – ready for work.  This means taking an hour for lunch and not closing until 5 or 5:30 each day. 

In 2009-2010 the total budget for the County Court at Law is $316,000.  As taxpayers, we should demand full and efficient use of all resources provided to the court – judge, court reporter and bailiff.  

I believe the County Court at Law is underutilized and can do much more work than is presently assigned to it.  In fact, by increasing its workload at no additional cost to the taxpayer whatsoever, dockets in other courts will be more efficiently managed and the cost of housing prisoners in the Lamar County Jail significantly reduced.    

Mental Health

Although authorized to hear these cases the County Court at Law does not do so.  Judge Superville hears all of these cases which consume several hours a week.  The County Court at Law and the County Court should split these cases 50/50 so as to allow the County Judge to devote more time to county administration and other dockets.

Juvenile

Although authorized to hear these cases the County Court at Law presently does not.  The County Court hears 100% of these cases which can take several hours a week.  The County Court at Law and the County Court should divide these cases equally to allow Judge Superville to devote more time to county administration and other dockets.  Each day a juvenile remains in custody costs the county $140.  I am Board Certified in Juvenile Law and have the expertise to hear these cases promptly and efficiently. 

Family Law

By local agreement the County Court at Law hears 1/2 of these cases.  This is good policy and should not be changed. 

Civil (non-Family Law)

By local agreement the County Court at Law hears none of these cases unless the case is specifically filed in that court.    This is not an acceptable use of judicial resources especially when the County Court at Law is otherwise underutilized.  The local agreement should be changed to allow the County Court at Law to share these cases equally with the two District Courts.  That is, the County Court at Law will increase its share of the civil (non-Family Law) case docket to 1/3 of the caseload that it is otherwise authorized to hear. 

Criminal

The County Court at Law and the County Court share the criminal (misdemeanor) docket.  There is, however, room for improvement especially with defendants who are in jail.  Each day a person remains in jail costs Lamar County taxpayers roughly $60.  The “jail docket” should be – and must be – aggressively managed.  If elected I will meet with prosecutors and defense attorneys every Monday morning to determine which defendants are going to plead guilty and which want a trial.  If they want to plead (99.9% of them do) there is no reason not resolve that case that day.  If the defendant wants a trial then I will schedule one at that time.  It is unfair to taxpayers, crime victims and defendants for the accused to remain in jail when their case can be promptly resolved.  I am Board Certified in Criminal Law and have the expertise to hear these cases promptly and efficiently.

Expand County Court at Law Jurisdiction

Presently the County Court at Law can hear felony pretrial hearings, arraignments and pleas – but it cannot hear felony jury trials.  This is not an efficient use of court resources.  Nor is it fair to victims, police officers and the defendants who all deserve a prompt resolution of their cases. Considering the number of juries available to prosecutors, the County Attorney’s Office can only try approximately 20 felony jury trials a year.  The cases that receive priority (as they should) are violent crimes and crimes against children.  Often less serious felony cases such as DWI, Forgery, minor drug crimes, etc… will remain on the docket longer than they should.  By allowing the County Court at Law to hear State Jail and Third-Degree felony cases will reduce jail costs and provide for the prompt administration of justice to all involved parties. 

A more efficient, cost-effective County Court at Law is what the taxpayers deserve and what we as public servants should strive to provide.