Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item #________



Columbus Consolidated Government

Council Meeting



July 30, 2002



Agenda Report # ___________





TO: Mayor and Councilors



SUBJECT: Circuit Wide Juvenile Court



INITIATED BY: Finance Department





Recommendation: Approve an ordinance amending the Juvenile Court FY03 budget

from $538,969 to $380,188, a decrease of $158,781; accepting $127,500 from the

Administrative Office of the Courts; authorizing the position of Juvenile Court

Judge, Part-time; and creating the Circuit Wide Juvenile Court budget.



Background: Pursuant to O.C.G.A. 15-11-18 the Superior Courts Judges of the

Chattahoochee Judical Circuit appointed Judge Aaron Cohn, Judge Warner Kennon

and Wayne Jernigan to Judge of the Juvenile Court of the Chattahoochee Judical

Circuit. Judge Cohn was appointed as a full-time judge, and Judges Kennon and

Jernigan were appointed as part-time (2 days per week). The Judges will

exercise circuit-wide jurisdiction over all juvenile proceedings in the

counties within the Chattahoochee Judical Circuit. The Chattahoochee Judical

Circuit is comprised of Muscogee, Harris, Talbot, Marion, Taylor and

Chattahoochee counties.



Analysis: The amendment to the Juvenile Court budget will move the salaries,

benefits and operating costs of Judge Cohn and Judge Kennon to the newly

created Circuit Wide Juvenile Court budget. This budget will provide the means

to track all the costs associated with the circuit-wide court.



Alternatives: None.



Financial Considerations: The creation of the Circuit Wide Juvenile Court will

be no additional cost to the City of Columbus. The City will receive $127,500

from the Administrative Office of the Courts to compensate the judges. The City

will also receive $10,145 from the other counties in the Chattahoochee Judical

Circuit. The county participatory cost was based on a percentage of population

of each county. The reimbursements from the counties will be done on a

semi-annual basis.



Legal Considerations: O.C.G.A. 15-11-18 provides that Juvenile Court Judges

shall exercise circuit-wide jurisdiction. A majority of the judges of the

superior court in each circuit in the state may appoint one or more qualified

persons as judge of the juvenile courts of the circuit.



Recommendations/Actions: Approve an ordinance amending the Juvenile Court FY03

budget from $538,969 to $380,188, a decrease of $158,781; accepting $127,500

from the Administrative Office of the Courts; authorizing the position of

Juvenile Court Judge, Part-time; and creating the Circuit Wide Juvenile Court

budget.