Judge Stinnett fears Justice Court could get cut from the county budget
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, March 29th, 2023 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
CANYON CITY – Grant County Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett was on KJDY’s Coffee Time explaining the role of the Justice Court system in Grant County. She said that the Justice Court will process around 1,200 to 1,300 cases in an average year.
Judge Stinnett fears that complications with the county budget could potentially do away with her department since it is not mandated. She noted that if it was done away with, the county likely wouldn’t get it back if the decision was made:
“Aside from the loss of services to the public Grant County Justice Court is grandfathered into our county courthouse and our county seat. When the legislature changed the district courts into the current circuit court system, they also put in a new clause that said, ‘If a county establishes a Justice Court, it has to be 50 miles outside of the practicing circuit court.’”
Stinnett said Justice Court has been present in Grant County since the 1880’s. The Justice Court’s portion of the Grant County Budget Hearing will be this afternoon (3/29) at 3:30 p.m. in the Grant County Courthouse. Join online here: //grantcountycourt.my.webex.com/meet/gccourtadmin.
Listen to the full podcast here:
