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Chief Justice Minton, Justice Michelle Keller tell Senate Committee family court judges overworked


By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today

The head of Kentucky’s Judicial Branch told a Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday that family court judges are needed in at least two overworked circuits. One of them is in Northern Kentucky.
 
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton told the panel it would be a “disservice to the people of Kentucky if we don’t address these issues” where judges have double and even triple the workload.


Minton said he has 10 statewide proposals but two circuits – one in southeastern Kentucky and one in Northern Kentucky – needing immediate attention. As he has in the past, Minton told lawmakers the best solution is reallocation of judges.


Minton said analysis show the circuit that covers Pulaski, Lincoln and Rockcastle counties with only one family court judge is in “urgent need” of getting some relief. The judge has the workload equivalent to 2.68 judges. 

Meanwhile, another judge working Boone and Gallatin counties is doing the caseload of nearly two judges, he said.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton told a judicial committee that two circuits in the state are in desperate need for a family court judge to ease workloads. (Kentucky Today/Tom Latek)


Minton said that while statewide redistricting is needed – it hasn’t been done since 1893 and Kentucky’s population has shifted since then – budget constraints are limiting the scope of the changes.


Supreme Court Justice Michelle Keller, whose Sixth Appellate District includes Boone and Gallatin counties, said issue goes beyond a judge’s workload.


“We’re here to talk about how the citizens of the commonwealth aren’t being served,” she said. “As hard as those judges are working, they can’t possibly serve the needs of the families before them. Families are having to wait too long for hearings.  No matter how long the judges work, they can’t possibly cover the needs, so we need to get them some relief.”


People wait months to have cases heard, delaying decisions in child custody and support issues, Minton said.


Those judgeships would be filled by moving positions from under-utilized circuits.


Minton said legislation during the 2017 General Assembly to address statewide judicial redistricting passed the Senate, but never came up for discussion in the House.

Justice Michelle Kelelr


“In an effort to move the issue forward, the Court has determined that we would have a targeted approach, saying ‘if we can’t get full redistricting statewide, we desperately need these top 10 to go as soon as possible.’”


After the hearing, Minton explained the opposition to statewide redistricting.


“Communities that are losing a judgeship are very reluctant to give it up.  It’s a tough political vote for any member of the General Assembly to make and a tough recommendation for the Court to make.”


Another complicating issue is Commonwealth’s Attorneys, whose counties coincide with the judicial circuits.
 

“Commonwealth’s Attorneys are part of the Executive Branch, so the Court doesn’t have authority to alter their areas of jurisdiction,” Minton said.  “So, we just have to try to account for that as we try to make our changes, as to how that impacts prosecutors.”


While House Bill 348 addresses the proposed changes, there is no companion bill in the Senate as yet.          


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