03/12/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 246                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act increasing the number of superior court judges                                                                     
     designated for the third judicial district; and                                                                            
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
DOUG  WOOLIVER,   ADMINISTRATIVE  ATTORNEY  FOR   THE  COURT                                                                    
SYSTEM, presented  an overview of  the bill. He  pointed out                                                                    
that the  legislation was introduced by  the Rules Committee                                                                    
at the request of the Supreme  Court. The bill would add one                                                                    
new Superior Court  Judge in Anchorage and the  intent is to                                                                    
have  that judge  sit  on  the civil  bench  and hear  civil                                                                    
cases. Anchorage  Superior Court  Judges are the  busiest in                                                                    
the state  due to the  number of  cases and case  types. Two                                                                    
case  types  in particular  draw  a  considerable amount  of                                                                    
judicial time.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Wooliver  explained that the  amount of time  needed for                                                                    
Child In Need  of Aid (CINA) cases and Family  Law cases has                                                                    
increased  significantly over  the  years. Appearing  before                                                                    
the  same  judicial  officer   better  serves  families  and                                                                    
facilitates  the  whole  process.  Close  court  supervision                                                                    
helps  to keep  families on  track. This  closer supervision                                                                    
takes more time, but will  help the family get back together                                                                    
as the goal is to unify the family.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Wooliver  informed the committee  that Family  Law cases                                                                    
have  increased  due to  the  number  of people  who  appear                                                                    
without  an attorney.  This creates  an increased  amount of                                                                    
work  for  the judges;  however,  they  realize that  adding                                                                    
another judge  is expensive, but necessary.  An attempt will                                                                    
also be made to find more case managers.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:24:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman requested more  information about case load                                                                    
per   judicial  district.   Mr.   Wooliver  mentioned   that                                                                    
Anchorage,  followed   by  Juneau  and  Fairbanks   had  the                                                                    
heaviest loads.  He assumed  that it  would be  necessary to                                                                    
return to the legislature next year to request more judges.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Senator Hoffman  asked for information  about the  growth of                                                                    
Superior Court  Judges in the  state for the past  10 years.                                                                    
Mr. Wooliver  said he would  get back to the  committee with                                                                    
that information.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman also  asked for a 10-year  history of court                                                                    
loads by judicial district.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:26:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman noted  that there was one  zero fiscal note                                                                    
from the Judicial  Council and one fiscal  note for $499,100                                                                    
in  general funds  reflecting the  cost of  a new  judge and                                                                    
support staff.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked if there  would be enough physical space                                                                    
for a  new judge. Mr. Wooliver  said they were making  a new                                                                    
superior  court  available in  the  Nesbit  Court House,  so                                                                    
there is one court room available for this new seat.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Thomas  asked  if  the need  for  more  judges  and                                                                    
prisons  was because  of  a population  increase  or due  to                                                                    
other factors.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:27:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Wooliver  noted that the  therapeutic court has  a lower                                                                    
recidivism  rate but  does not  affect a  large part  of the                                                                    
population. The  Department of Corrections has  refocused on                                                                    
treatment issues as  a way to help  reduce recidivism rates.                                                                    
The system does work, but it is a long road.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SB 246 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further                                                                              
consideration.