Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Justice Courts Statutory Change topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Columbia County Justice of the Peace warns commissioners of sweeping Justice Court rewrite in House Bill 2460
Summary
Judge Jim Gibson told the board he recently discovered House Bill 2460 would substantially change the Justice Court statute and could require the county to amend local ordinances and court operations.
Columbia County Justice of the Peace Jim Gibson used the visitor comment period on Feb. 26 to alert the Board of Commissioners to House Bill 2460, saying it is "pretty much a total rewrite of justice courts and how we function." Gibson said he learned of the bill only the day before the meeting and planned to contact the bill sponsors and local representatives to provide input.
Gibson told the board House Bill 2460 spans about 28 pages and could require the county to change ordinances that define Justice Court jurisdiction. "I just wanted to make sure you were aware of House Bill 24 60. It's a 28 page rewrite of the Justice Court statute," he said. He described a key issue for the county as the limits on Justice Court jurisdiction in the county seat and said he would push to allow Justice Courts to hear county ordinance violations within the county seat.
Gibson said he supports keeping a caveat that prevents holding Justice Court in the county seat if that interferes with circuit court operations, but he urged commissioners to follow the bill and coordinate with state legislators. He told the board he would prepare written comments after reviewing the bill.
Commissioners thanked Gibson and noted the House bill was scheduled for a hearing and work session in Salem, and that interested local officials could submit comment, including at the hearing the following day.
No county action or formal motion was recorded on the bill at the Feb. 26 meeting.
