Chief Justice Kittridge asks legislature for three additional family court judges to relieve caseloads in fast-growing counties

Chief Justice Kittridge told the Subcommittee on Judiciary that he has requested three additional family court judgeships to address sharply rising caseloads in three circuits and counties.

"The family courts are in crisis. I've made a request for 3 additional family court judgeships," Kittridge said, identifying the ninth, the eleventh and the fourteenth circuits and naming Berkeley, Lexington and Beaufort counties as the intended places of service. He told the panel population growth and rising workloads at the Department of Social Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice have increased demands on family court dockets.

Kittridge said Berkeley County’s population rose from about 43,000 (historical baseline) to an estimated 265,000; Lexington from about 216,000 to more than 314,000; and Beaufort from roughly 120,000 to about 216,000. He added that the public side of family court dockets — including DSS and DJJ matters — consumes time that reduces…