State approves district court judge position

EPHRATA - A bill to add a third Grant County District Court judge was signed by the governor.

The House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 5170 by a vote of 92 to 1 in April. The bill, introduced by Sen. Janéa Holmquist Newbry, will allow the county to have a third district court judge.

Grant County presently has two district court judges and one full-time commissioner. The county is unique because the judges travel to 11 municipal courts and hold district court in Ephrata and Moses Lake, according to Holmquist Newbry's and Judge Janis Whitener-Moberg's public testimony.

"The Administrator for the Courts found that Grant County needs another judge to help meet the geographic and judicial needs of our county's citizens," Holmquist Newbry said. "I have been able to work with members in both chambers to successfully deliver the relief Grant County needs."

The Administrator for the Courts' workload analysis stated the county needs 3.3 judges.

"Every citizen in Grant County possesses the right to have equal access to the courts and a speedy trial under the Constitution," Holmquist Newbry said. "I am happy that our Grant County District Court and county commissioners, who requested statutory authorization for the new judge position, are one step closer."

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 new judge position could start as early as 2012. Commissioner Carolann Swartz said in April she and district court staff were pleased about the passage of the bill.

"We're all sitting here with our mouths open," she said. "Evidently the district court people will be meeting with us to discuss how to implement it."

The state estimates the position will cost the county about $141,000 a year, and an additional clerk's position will cost about $48,000 a year, according the administrative office of the courts. Unlike the superior court judge positions, the district court judge positions are funded entirely by the county.