Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Splitting circuit seems to have no supporters now

I wrote to all of you Oct. 31 about some apparent scheming to split up the Griffin Judicial Circuit and to make Fayette County into its own judicial district. My letter went to all legislators in the Griffin Circuit, judges, county commissioners, newspapers and radio stations.

I have received a number of responses opposing the idea of splitting the circuit, with no one contacting me in support of this foolish idea. Among those responding were legislators, county commissioners and two county commission chairmen, all in opposition.

My letter was printed in the Fayette and Upson newspapers and perhaps others and read on radio, so many folks had the opportunity to read and call me, as numerous people did; but no one stepped up to support the idea. Seems like now nobody wants to claim this thing.

The Circuit Administrator Fred Roney tells me that at a Fayette Bar lunch that Chief Judge Paschal English confirmed that a Fayette split would increase expenses without an improvement in services.

I was very pleased to receive the support of Chief Justice Norman Fletcher, of the Georgia Supreme Court, acting as chairperson of the Judicial Council of Georgia. In a telephone call on Nov. 7 he stated that it is the policy of the Judicial Council to not create any more single-county circuits and particularly if you split this one, you will end up needing at lest two judges instead of one and it would increase costs greatly. He stated that he hoped that the Griffin Judicial will remain as at present as service is good and expenses are reasonable.

It just seems to me, folks, that we have more important fish to fry. Passing the Indigent Defense Bill last session was a good move. Now we have to fund it. We don’t need to be wasting money on an inadvisable new judicial district which will do nothing but waste money. Please call on me if you have any questions at 770-412-7166. Thanks for your understanding.

John P. Yates

Dist. 85 Representative

Griffin, Ga.