County associate circuit judge candidates discuss facility needs

Working in a building more than 100 years old can be a challenge. While they'd like to see some facility improvements, both candidates for Cole County associate circuit judge believe they can ensure judicial activity continues swiftly at the Cole County Courthouse.

"It's a beautiful building and built to last, but it doesn't always meet the needs of what we do now in court," Democratic candidate Gaylin Carver said. "Our circuit is one of the busiest in the state, but we still manage to get things done; and I don't see why I wouldn't be able to work with lawyers and fellow judges to keep that going."

There are four courtrooms in the Cole County Courthouse. All four judges have secretaries as well as court bailiffs. The three circuit judges also have court reporters. Three of the four courtrooms have jury boxes for trials.

In 2014, the Cole County Commission voted to tear down the old county jail and sheriff's office in the rear of the courthouse and construct a new building for more office space along with another courtroom. However, the estimated construction cost of more than $3 million was above the threshold they had set, so the plan was scrapped.

Republican candidate Cotton Walker said there are old courthouses throughout the state where privacy issues are not uncommon.

"While it's not ideal, I think most lawyers that work in the building know where they can go to conduct a meeting with a client."

In recent years, accessibility improvements have been made to courthouse bathrooms, and a second jury room was added to the top floor of the courthouse. But Carver believes further improvements might be needed.

"If there is a jury trial, you have to close that entire floor so jurors can have access to a bathroom while they are deliberating," Carver noted. "That does require some more manpower."

Walker said he would welcome working with the Cole County Commission on ways more can be done with space at the courthouse.

"If necessary, we may think about using the newly remodeled municipal court," he said.

Walker, who currently serves as Jefferson City municipal judge, said he has had conversations with the four judges at the county courthouse about the city's new municipal court facility and how it could be used if the other judges felt they needed a larger space for a court proceeding. Jefferson City officials hope to have the new municipal court facility, located in the former headquarters for the city's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department on Monroe Street, ready for cases to be heard in by mid-November.

"It does have a jury box and assembly room so if a jury trial needed to be held, it could handle that," Walker said. "It also has room to bring in a jury pool, which usually numbers well over 100 people. Currently, when a pool is brought in (at the county courthouse), the potential jurors that can't get into the courtroom have to wait outside in the hallways."

Carver noted in the near future there will need to be consideration for a second associate circuit judge.

In May, the state Legislature approved adding the position after it was removed in 2003, when the third circuit judge's job was added. The judge would be elected in 2020 and begin serving in 2021.

Cole County commissioners have not had any formal discussions about where they would house the judge since the Legislature approved the measure.

"No matter what happens with the facilities, I would make sure to work with judges and the court marshals on making sure that cases were heard in a timely manner," Carver said. "I would continue what the current judges are doing, and that's moving to different courtrooms, depending on the volume of cases on a docket and scheduling certain cases that I know would take longer for days when the number of cases on the docket was low."

Walker said: "I know since we've been down to the one associate judge we've brought in visiting judges to pick up cases. I think it will be good to have a second associate judge so that a Cole County judge is handling those local cases."

The winner of the Nov. 6 general election will take office as associate circuit judge in January. Current Associate Circuit Judge Tom Sodergren is not running for re-election.