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~.. . . ,F ;~ , ~, - ~ s ~~~ O~~U ND DISTRICT COURTS OF OREGON THIRD JUDICtAL DISTRICT f;~~ 5 ~q97 MARION COUNTY COURTHOUSE ~ P.O. BOX 12869 SAIEM, OREGON 97309-0869 «iAfii~iv CflUt~TY ~aMes H. n~uRC~D OF COMt~!iSS O~~ERS CouA Administrator (503) 588-5368 k= ;.: E E~ 1-~ . .~ : ~ _ .:~ f 1~~~ December 4, 1997 MEMORANDUM TO: Members, Board of FROM: James H. M SUBJECT: Court Facilities '~;~~ C(it~NTY COgf~ECTIOtv:_: ~,l,t'.r; ~~r~t'z`,'(] CHAIRMAN MM ~ ~ A ~ , R ~~r ~~~~~Y We spoke recently about the continuing need of the Oregon Court system for adequate facilities for courts here in Marion County. I indicated that I would review our situation and provide you with an update. As Judge Lipscomb has recently stated, the Marion County Courts have grown to 12 judicial positions over the past several years, with a 13th position to be filled as of January 1999. In addition, we have five judicial hearing officers, for a total of 18 judicial and judieial officers within the next 13 months. Further, we had developed the workload justification in 1996 for three new judgeships, but for other reasons (including facilities limitations) requested only two such positions be created. The 1997 Legislature in fact created only one of these judgeships at this time. We fully expect to again approach the Legislature seeking additional judicial positions in the next session. The Court system, however, is more than judges. We concluded the last biennium with 100 FTE. In October of this year, we hired five additional staff, and will be increasing by five more around the first of 1999, along with the new judgeship. Facility needs of the Court are more than chambers and courtrooms. Sta.ff offices and program space are also serious issues. As you may recall, we have a jury assembly room on the second floor which comfortably accommodates around 40 or 50 individuals. We regulazly surnmon panels of around 150-175 jurors. Present space is obviously woefully inadequate for panels of this size; it is even ridiculously worse for significant trials where even lazger jury panels are required.