Fayette awaits district justice ruling
The state Supreme Court has yet to decide if Fayette County will keep all 13 of its district justices or if any of the boundary lines will change. Although a decision for all of Pennsylvania’s counties was due by Dec. 30, Fayette remains one of eight counties where there has not been a decision rendered, said Art Heinz, a representative of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
“The plan is still under consideration by the Supreme Court,” said Heinz. “I have no idea when a decision will be made.”
Every 10 years, in tandem with census results, the Supreme Court asks each county’s president judge to review the districts and their boundary lines. Former President Judge William J. Franks, who retired at the end of the year, told the high court that he believed no charges were in order for the county’s district justices.
At an April hearing, Franks said that, despite low case loads for some DJs, anticipated incoming businesses and the rural make-up of Fayette County should be taken into consideration.
Heinz said he was unable to explain why the court has delayed in handing down plans for some counties and noted that a decision should be forthcoming.
In the 2000 census results, Fayette County had a population gain of 3,293. That gain came after a 13,593-person population drop between the 1980 and 1990 censuses. In 1990, the Supreme Court decided that no DJs should be eliminated, but did shift some boundaries.
During the April hearing, which was open to the public, Franks indicated he was concerned with what would happen to mountain-area District Justice Wendy Dennis since her office had the smallest caseload.
He addressed that issue by including information for the Supreme Court that said Dennis’ office accounts for one-fifth of the entire county and serves many of the smaller mountain communities. Without her office, which borders West Virginia and Maryland, police would have a significantly longer distance to travel to file charges in that area.
Heinz said that once the Supreme Court has reached its decision, the order will be posted on the AOCP website at http://www.courts.state.pa.us/Index/dj/realignment/realignorders.htm.