Senate panel backs bill adding another judge in Snohomish County
OLYMPIA — A legislative push to increase the number of District Court judges in Snohomish County cleared its first hurdle Thursday.
In quick fashion, the Senate Law and Justice Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 5003 creating an additional judgeship, bringing the county’s total to 9.
The vote came two days after a public hearing in which Presiding District Court Judge Jennifer Rancourt told senators it would be the first expansion of the bench in a quarter century. Since then, the county’s population has grown 40%, leading to larger caseloads, she testified. And a pandemic-driven backlog continues to stress judicial resources, she noted.
“It’s time to add another judge,” Rancourt said.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/senate-panel-backs-bill-adding-another-judge-in-snohomish-county/