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Bill would allow Family Court and Court of Common Pleas to share jurisdiction in some misdemeanor cases
Summary
Senator Ford told the committee HB122 would create concurrent jurisdiction between Family Court and the Court of Common Pleas for certain misdemeanor cases (often domestic-violence-related) to reduce transfers and delay; a court representative confirmed coordination with sponsors but no formal committee vote was recorded.
Senator Ford presented House Bill 122 to the Senate Judiciary Committee, describing a proposal to amend Title 10 to create concurrent jurisdiction between Family Court and the Court of Common Pleas for particular misdemeanor matters where parentage or child-related issues may later emerge.
Ford said frequent transfers between the two courts can add administrative burden, delay proceedings and in some cases jeopardize speedy-trial rights. The change aims to allow either court to hear specific cases without a later transfer when parentage or child issues arise.
The chair asked court representatives to put their views on the record. A court representative told the committee that Family Court had worked closely with Representative Griffith and Senator Ford on the proposal, indicating coordination during bill drafting.
There was no recorded public opposition; staff reported no public commenters on this item. The transcript contains no committee vote on HB122 during this session.
Next steps: the committee moved on to other agenda items; a formal referral or vote on HB122 is not recorded in the provided transcript.
