.jpg)
Everyone I've talked to today, including a couple of attorneys thinks the City council's proposed abolishment of Jeffersonville City Court is a bad move. Who else is more qualified and knowledgeable about the situation than the local attorneys who use the current system everyday and know the ins and outs, the good and bad of the court system.Matt Owen and Dennis Julius appear to be the main drivers behind the movement to end Judge Pierce's City Court citing reduced caseloads and the costs of operating the court as the factors in their decision. My question is when did we start looking at costs and expenditures when public safety is concerned ??? Public safety provided by law enforcement and the judicial system is just something you can't put a price on. Eliminating one court (City) and putting more burden and strain on an
another court (Circuit) that is already stretched and full to the max is insane and irresponsible.Not to mention the financial strain the added caseload it will put on the County which is already faced with mandates just to operate. And an over crowded court docket is just begging for more mistakes to be made like the unfortunate release of a killer several weeks ago...Newly elected Circuit Court judge Brad Jacobs summed it up pretty well without the Jeff city Court and referring to the Circuit Court system "it's going to be a nightmare."Here's a grand idea for Owen and Julius who apparently didn't ask anyone how they felt or input about their proposal including the judges and attorneys who make up the system. How about Owen and Julius doing their jobs and get together with all parties involved including current judges, prosecutor, County Commissioners, Indiana St. police officials and work together to come up with a plan that would better utilize and increase the caseload of Judge pierce's City Court, and also work on a plan to increase revenue through fines , court costs etc. that would alleviate some of the financial shortcomings.
The easy way out was Owen and Julius'plan to just shut it down...How about showing some leadership qualities and do what you're paid for and try and work out a settlement and plan that is agreeable and works for all the parties involved...Unless of course the move by Julius and Owen was merely political in nature, then they should man up and just admit it's all political and we then we will know that public sentiment and safety don't really matter...because it all politics....
Hopefully the wise giant Goliath will weigh in on this, he's usually a voice of reason on these type matters....YO GOLIATH...You out there???
Doesn't Goliath want more county courts? Is Carmichael behind this? Is that why Julius is on board?
ReplyDeleteThan again, Jacobs is also friends with Goliath and argues against eliminating.
I think for the bigger picture to emerge the democrats need to take a strong position for or against so we can see where the domino trail started.
If this is just a political move to make council look good for reelection it will backfire as most everybody thinks it is a stupid move.
ReplyDeleteLike HT said the smart thing to do would to bring all parties together and at least attempt to work out all the issues before shutting it down.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the intelligent council members will reconsider this and not pass it on the last two readings.
ReplyDeleteLol. Which are the intelligent ones?
ReplyDeleteIf they want to cut big expenses how about limiting the new 4-wheel drive vehicles, take home cars, gasoline purchases and all the other perks for dept. heads and city workers.
ReplyDeleteThere is waste out there but it's right under their noses not in the courts.
Goliath is against closing this court. The answer is for the Prosecutor to follow the case allocation plan and this will restore the volume. Personal dislikes of the judge should be put aside.
ReplyDeleteThose who don't like/trust Ken Pierce have an easy answer...run a viable candidate against him and
defeat him at the polls. Meanwhile, It's fine to discuss creating new Circuit Courts and adding magistrates, but why would
you shut down a little work horse court and add the load to Circuit 3?
Doesn't make sense.
Why is it that 1 name keeps popping up when ever Jeff has a court issue ?
ReplyDeleteCarmichael
Thank you Goliath...see folks it's a simple solution for a simple problem that the idiots on the council have blown up to be a disaster...
ReplyDeleteHT has been telling you for years that some members of this council don't have the best interests of the taxpayers in mind and this is a perfect example.
Julius is eyeing his run for mayor while up there pontificating about the finances of City court, trying to look like he is saving us a money when in actuality it won't save the taxpayers a dime...
Owen Jamey Noel's lapdog is trying to put on his big boy pants now that Noel won the sheriff's election and come up with a big idea of his own. Didn't work Matt everybody sees it for what it is....the reasoning doesn't make sense...
Hats off to Ed Z. and Nathan Samuel who voted against the amendment...The BatBlog has been hard on Ed Z. in the past but this vote and his recent help with the marina project gets him a thumbs up...
Hopefully Ed Z. and Samuel can talk some sense into those who voted for shutting down the court on the council's first reading because it's a stupid move that doesn't make sense
I think the county judges would love to have it shut down. That would help their argument that they need more magistrates and more probation officers. In Clark county bigger is always better. This gives more j
ReplyDeleteHigh paying jobs for the judges to give to friends or supporters.
Dennis needs to free up funds for more taxpayer funded shrubbery.
ReplyDeleteThis is a confusing alliance. Because city elections are coming next year, whoever can provide the best simple explanation, or visual image, probably wins this issue.
ReplyDeleteI have a question. Since when are courts supposed to show a profit?
ReplyDelete