Williamson County asks lawmakers for new district court due to increasing caseload | FOX 7 Austin

Williamson County asks lawmakers for new district court due to increasing caseload

Williamson County commissioners say their district judges’ caseload is becoming too much.

WilCo commissioners are asking lawmakers for another district court. 

What we know:

Williamson County voted to send a resolution to lawmakers at the capitol asking for another district court. 

Judge Bill Gravell said the addition would be the first in 35 years.

"We’ve probably only added half a million people in that time frame, so it’s time for us to add that additional to meet the demands and the needs in the judiciary," said Gravell.

The other side:

Three decades ago, Gravell said the district attorney saw about 760 felonies a year. Last year, that number was close to 2,500.

"The volume of cases has increased exponentially, but not only that, the complexity of the cases has increased exponentially," said Gravell.

The two commissioners who voted against it, Valerie Covey and Cynthia Long, don’t disagree that the county needs a new district court. They’re more worried it’s not the right time.

"For me, the challenge is currently a space issue, just where we put those folks," said Long.

Is another district court possible?

What's next:

The county plans on opening a new $90 million administrative building at the end of this year.

That could free up space in the current courthouse.

"Cause why pay for this, and it’s about a million and a half to add all of this," said Covey. "Why pay for it when we don’t have the space?"

The county will pay for operational costs, and the state will pay for the new judge’s salary.

Lawmakers will get the final vote, and the county expects an answer by the fall.

"This is an urgent need from one of the 254 counties in Texas, and I hope that they will be supportive of creating a new legislative court," said Gravell.

Williamson County’s bill to see a new district court will likely be put into something called a judicial omnibus. It will include other counties’ requests for a district court too.

Gravell said it almost always passes.

The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Lauren Rangel

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