ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Seven judges from northeast Missouri will go to St. Charles County to hear cases to reduce court delays.
The judges, from the 2nd and 41st circuits, will start July 7.
St. Charles Circuit Presiding Judge Ted House said the court will get about 90 days of assistance a year from the judges, who will hear protection orders, paternity cases, criminal cases for child support and civil cases in which another judge has been disqualified.
The National Center for State Courts showed St. Charles was short by 3.5 judges and that there was a statewide shortage of 45 judges. The same study spurred the Legislature to consider a proposal eliminating six judge positions in St. Louis City. The study showed that 23,922 non-traffic cases were filed in St. Charles in 2006, the fifth-highest total in the state.
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