Maricopa County judicial branch asks for 63 probation officers, juvenile overtime and family-court staff in FY2026 budget

Presiding Judge Joseph Welty told the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors that the judicial branch is seeking targeted increases in the fiscal 2026 budget to address rising probation caseloads, juvenile detention staffing pressures and family‑court workloads.

Welty said the branch is requesting 63 additional adult probation positions, funding to restore juvenile‑detention overtime, and six courtroom assistant positions to attach to superior court commissioners who will be shifted into family‑court calendars. “We are requesting an increase of 63 positions,” Welty said. He framed the request as a measured set of priorities selected from a larger internal list after an internal allocation study and collaboration with county budget staff.

The request stems from post‑pandemic growth in criminal filings and rising case complexity driven by higher‑risk cases, substance use and mental‑health needs, and homelessness, Welty said. He told the board the branch and county previously agreed on caseload ratios for adult probation through a joint study; state law requires counties of Maricopa’s size to set probation officer‑to‑probationer ratios in agreement with the court. “The caseload ratios for adult probation have been…