NORWICH – Local officials are unsure why a bill that would have established a second county court judgeship in Chenango County failed to pass through the New York State legislature again this year.
“We thought we had it moving because it was included in a recommendation from the chief judge’s office,” 107th District Assemblyman Clifford W. Crouch, R-Binghamton, said Monday.
“I honestly, at this point in time, I’m not sure why (it didn’t pass),” he said. Crouch co-sponsored the bill with 52nd District Senator Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton. Chenango County’s request for a second judgeship passed through the Senate.
The Board of Supervisors’ request has been turned down since 2002.
A backlog of cases has precluded Chenango’s judges from trying cases in an expedient manner. There are currently three homicide cases that have made little progress through the courts; two have been delayed for nearly a year.
In 2007, caseloads before Chenango County Family and Surrogate Judge Howard Sullivan totaled 2,236; more than the numbers in Cortland, Madison and Otsego counties where two family court judges preside. Only Otsego County - where the population is about 10,000 greater - were the caseload numbers slightly higher. Otsego’s two judges had 2,596 cases.
Chenango County’s request was grouped together into one bill with 39 other counties that also requested second judgeships, including Cayuga and Delaware counties. It successfully passed through the Senate’s chambers, but was still in the Assembly when the session ended this week.
“I am very, very disappointed to say the least,” said Judge Howard Sullivan Monday. “This seems to be blocked in the Assembly and I have no idea that there can be any justification for it.”
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