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Court at Law No. 3 transfers funds to cover psychiatric evaluations after district attorney filings
Summary
Comal County Court at Law No. 3 approved line-item transfers to buy a replacement laptop and to cover court-ordered psychiatric evaluations for jail-release cases; judges and the district attorney's office said state statute requires two evaluations and current practice uses psychiatrists, costing several thousand dollars each.
Comal County's Court at Law No. 3 on Thursday approved two line-item transfers: $1,900 from the visiting-judges account to noncapital equipment for a new laptop, and a second transfer to provide funds for two psychiatric evaluations ordered for certain jail-release cases.
Judge Wigginton explained the laptop transfer: he was informed by IT that his regular laptop needed replacement and that sufficient funds were available in the visiting judges line. He said he does not anticipate heavy use of the visiting-judges fund this year.
On mental-health evaluations, Court at Law staff and the judge said the district attorney's office has recently begun filing motions that require two psychiatric evaluations performed by a medical provider at the level of a doctor or above. Judge Wigginton and a presenter said the county has been using two psychiatrists for these evaluations, which can run “a couple thousand” dollars per psychiatrist evaluation. By statute, two evaluations are required; the court approved transferring funds to cover the expense while staff explore more cost‑effective options, including assistance from the local mental-health authority.
The district attorney's office, which has filed the majority of these recent motions, and defense attorneys both may request the evaluations. The court approved the transfers on motion by Commissioner Webb and second by Commissioner Leacock; the motion carried by voice vote. Staff said they would monitor expenses and seek ways to reduce costs.
