CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Four circuits in West Virginia’s court system would get additional judges in a bill that is getting closer to final passage.
The bill (SB415), which has already passed the Senate, was approved Tuesday morning by the House Finance Committee and sent to the House floor. It adds one circuit judge each to the 5th Circuit (Calhoun, Jackson, Mason, Roane), 10th Circuit (Raleigh County), 23rd Circuit (Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan) and the 26th Circuit (Lewis, Upshur).
Mercer County Circuit Judge Derek Swope spoke in favor of the additions at Tuesday’s committee meeting.
“The driver of the need is the abuse and neglect docket. It’s blown out of the ceiling,” the judge said.
A study conducted last year recommended 19 circuit judges be added in West Virginia, the bill addresses the four circuits with the greatest need according to the report.
Swope said in most cases it’s not population increase that has impacted the caseload but it’s additional types of cases that circuit judges are now handling.
“We don’t get paid extra for drug court, we don’t get paid extra for truancy court, we don’t get paid extra for mass litigation, we’re not asking for that,” Swope said. “If you want us to handle the workload that we have we desperately need this committee and this body to adopt this.”
The House Finance Committee also passed a bill (SB479) Tuesday that would add family court judges in some areas of the state.