Bill to add another Delaware County judge heads to governor’s desk

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A bill to add an additional judicial position in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court is on its way to Gov. John Kasich’s desk.

The measure cleared the Ohio Senate Wednesday in a unanimous 33-0 vote.

The new court division would have exclusive jurisdiction over all divorce, dissolution or marriage, legal separation and annulment cases that come before the court. A new judge would also handle paternity, custody, visitation and child support cases.

Under the bill, the new judge would be elected in 2016 and take office on Jan. 1, 2017.

The new position and the support staff that will come with it would cost the county about $155,000 annually, according to the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.

From 2006 to 2010, new case filings increased by 28 percent in the county’s common pleas court. New case filings jumped 11.2 percent in the juvenile division over the same period of time.

A judicial position has not been added in the county since 1995.

During the previous General Assembly, an identical bill died in the Senate after an amendment granting pay raises to judges across the state was attached to the legislation.

By Dustin Ensinger

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Dustin Ensinger can be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @EnsingerDG.

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