Municipal court assessment: Monroe sees rising DWLS cases and jail‑day costs; staffing and diversion options recommended

Liam McCorple presented the 2025 Monroe Municipal Court assessment to the City Council during the Oct. 21 study session, highlighting case trends, jail costs and staffing considerations and offering recommendations to reduce costs and future pressure on the court.

Why this matters: The assessment identifies operational and fiscal pressures—rising DWLS (driving while license suspended) cases, increasing pretrial jail days and expected growth in demand—that could raise public defense and jail expenditures and affect city budgets and staffing over the next several years.

Key findings and numbers: The presentation showed Monroe’s filings closely tracked statewide trends: a decline prior to 2020, a sharp drop in 2021 and a gradual rise since 2022. In 2024 the city recorded 1,335 filings—753 infractions and 582 misdemeanors. McCorple said the most common misdemeanor charges in 2024 were driving with license suspended (DWLS), first‑ and second‑degree trespass, theft in the third degree, fourth‑degree assault and controlled‑substance offenses. He also said about 17% of DWLS filings were third‑degree DWLS.

Jail costs and pretrial time: McCorple told council that projected jail costs for 2025 rose substantially and that the…