Committee requests new judge

Feb 29, 2016 at 09:04 am by bryan


Strapped by a massive and growing court docket, Rutherford County's General Sessions judges are seeking another judgeship to carry some of the burden.

"We're stretched to our limit now and we need help," General Sessions Judge Ben Hall McFarlin told county commissioners last week.

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The County Commission's Public Safety Committee responded by unanimously recommending a request for a private act in the General Assembly for creation of a fourth General Sessions judge, at a cost of $500,000 annually. Along with the judge comes an assistant district attorney position and an assistant public defender position, which would be funded at 75 percent.

Mayor Ernest Burgess told commissioners taking action immediately is necessary in order to put the position on the ballot for the Aug. 4 election, which has a May 6 qualifying deadline. The measure would need to go to the full Commission in time for its March meeting and then to the state Legislature.

To read more from Murfreesboro Post writer Sam Stockard, follow this link.

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