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District Court warns of staff shortages, $75,000 Valley courtroom lease and rising filings in 2026 budget presentation
Summary
Presiding Judge Patrick Johnson and court administrators told commissioners the district court faces staffing constraints, rising filings, and a $75,000‑a‑year lease for a Spokane Valley courtroom currently charged to the court’s budget; the court outlined proposed reductions and potential service impacts.
Patrick Johnson, presiding judge for Spokane District Court, told the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 22 that the court is projecting a $7.3 million operating budget for 2026 and is facing staffing shortages, growing filings and a set of hard choices to meet the county’s budget target.
“This is kind of a breakdown, our budget. You see we're at $7,300,000,” Johnson said as he reviewed the court’s personnel and expense picture. Court staff told commissioners the department includes 74 total positions (57 paid from the general fund) and processes roughly 48,000 filings a year; filings are up about 6% year‑over‑year, and certain case types — including driving‑under‑the‑influence and unlawful‑detainer (eviction) filings — have increased substantially.
Johnson and court staff outlined a $51,713 shortfall the department must close to meet the board’s target. The court’s…
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