| 1/29/2008 3:00:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Switzerland County might get own
circuit court
Justin Helfrich
Courier Staff Writer
A bill advancing through the state legislature could give Switzerland County its own circuit court. If House Bill 1096 becomes law, the 91st judicial circuit would be created in Switzerland County, eliminating the joint circuit court now shared by Jefferson and Switzerland counties.
Jefferson Circuit Judge Ted Todd, who currently serves the Jefferson-Switzerland circuit, said the move is needed.
"The Circuit Court in Jefferson County is tremendously busy. It's doing the work of about one and two-thirds judges right now," he said. "That doesn't give me time to take care of Jefferson County as I would like, and it doesn't give me time to take care of Switzerland County as I would like."
Todd said he's optimistic that the bill will pass.
Switzerland and Jefferson counties also share Prosecutor Chad Lewis. Lewis said he also supports the bill.
The bill recently passed unanimously in the House Judiciary Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
Lewis said the bill most likely pass both houses and become law. If House Bill 1096 passes, the Switzerland superior court, which shares a judge with Ohio County, will cease to exist in its present form.
Lewis said the move would not help him in elections, as he was elected prosecutor only because of his margin of victory in Switzerland County.
"I think the citizens of Switzerland County deserve this. ...I'm in favor of it," he said, adding that he will now have time to focus all of his attention on Jefferson County cases.
If the bill passes and there is a new court, the new judges and prosecutors would take office Jan. 1, 2009. The bill might not pass before the Feb. 22 candidate filing deadline, Lewis said, so each party would have to have a caucus to determine the candidates before the November election.
Judge Todd said Switzerland has shared the circuit court with Jefferson County since the second state consitution of 1851.
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