Caseload Prompts Cry for Help

By: Stan Torgerson

Updated: Fri 10:32 AM, Feb 14, 2003

County attorney Robert Compton and all four justice court judges for Lauderdale County went to the board of supervisors to get some staffing help.

The elected officials requested the board seek a local-private bill in the state legislature to authorize an assistant county attorney.

"We'd be able to handle perhaps more cases because we could set more cases on those trial dates, not inconvenience the parties, witnesses, defendants or victims for their turn in court," said Compton, who is not seeking reelection. "when you could have court downstairs and court upstairs."

Compton said last year the justice court system handled about 11,000
cases that brought in $1,300,000 in fines and fees.

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