From 2016 to 2020, the 63rd District Court in Kent County saw more than 26,000 new case filings. That’s over 13,000 cases per judge, which surpasses caseloads seen in other districts throughout the county as well as the state of Michigan. Kent County Administrator Al Vandenberg says that, thanks to the passing of this bill, a new judge will provide some much needed relief to the court system.
“Kent County is the fastest growing county by actual bodies and in the case of the district court their caseloads have been increasing exponentially with the same number of judges to manage the cases.”
The Kent County Board of Commissioners approved the position of a new district judge back in October. The candidate will be chosen by public election. Those candidates will need to file by April 23 of 2024. The primary election happens in August followed by the general election in November. The judge who is elected would begin serving on January 1, 2025.
Vandenberg says they’re grateful to state Representative John Fitzgerald, who championed the bill to Governor Whitmer’s desk, and they look forward to better serving the citizens of Kent County.
“We’re excited to be able to provide this much of an improvement beginning in January of 2025.”
