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Gilliam County Justice Court reports steady caseload and revenue gains
Summary
Justice of the Peace Carrie Hader told the Gilliam County Court the Justice Court handled 2,299 cases in calendar 2024 and reported higher fine receipts for county coffers compared with 2023; she also requested approval of pro tem judges for limited conflicts.
Justice of the Peace Carrie Hader told the Gilliam County Court on Jan. 20 that the Gilliam County Justice Court is fully staffed after recent promotions and hires and that its caseload and fine collections have increased compared with 2023.
Hader, who said she has served as Justice of the Peace since June, summarized the court’s work and finances: “For calendar year ’24, justice court handled a total of 2,299 cases, of which 2,279 were traffic related offenses, including 20 misdemeanors.” She said most offenses originate on Interstate 84 and that the court handles misdemeanors, traffic violations and smaller civil matters such as small claims and evictions.
Hader gave revenue figures for comparison years: “For calendar year ’24, justice court total receipts for revenue collected was $525,000. The county portion was approximately $404,000.” She said the prior year’s total receipts were $444,000 with a county share of $328,000. For the current fiscal year through Dec. 31, 2024, she reported receipts of $214,000 with a county share of $166,000 and said that represents about 65% of the budgeted revenue to date.
Hader explained the split of fine revenue depends on the issuing agency: when Gilliam County deputies write a citation a portion is retained by the county; when the Oregon State Police issue a citation the fine is split roughly 50/50 between the county and state. She cautioned that collection timing can lag: some citations written in one year may not be fully collected until the next.
Hader also asked the court to approve a short list of pro tem judges to cover rare absences or conflicts of interest. She said the pro tem judges she will request for approval are Robin Ordway (Wheeler County Justice of the Peace), Court Administrator Kayla Rausch and Anastasia Meisner (Washington County pro tem judge).
Court members thanked Hader for the update and for continuing education efforts by court staff. Hader said staff have attended judicial college courses and conferences required by statute and will submit the required confirmation to the county about those continuing-education requirements.
The court did not take formal action on the staffing numbers during the Jan. 20 session; Hader said she will put the pro tem-judge approvals on the Feb. agenda for formal action.
