Lowndes County has a third judge – now it needs a courtroom for him.
The third 16th District Circuit Court judgeship — filled by newly-elected Lee Coleman, of Clay County — will eventually reduce the dockets of Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties.
That”s the intention, anyway, Judge Jim Kitchens said at the Columbus Rotary Club”s monthly luncheon Tuesday.
Without another courtroom, there is no “additional benefit from that third judge” to Lowndes County, Kitchens told the crowd.
“I”d hold court in a broom closet if I could fit everyone in,” he said. “I don”t care where we meet, but we have to have a room to meet in.”
There are three courtrooms in the courthouse, but the smallest one is used for Chancery Court, Kitchens said.
Although rooms of the courthouse are currently being renovated, the plans do not include another courtroom. They do include a larger room for the Board of Supervisors to meet in.
If the county does not build another courtroom, the Circuit Court may have to make a costly decision to extend its three-week terms, Kitchens said. Extra terms would mean extra juries and extra pay for public defenders, among other costs.
“You”ve got to get (the docket) under control,” he added.
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