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Somerset County DA briefs commissioners on caseload surge, requests staffing changes
Summary
District Attorney Meaghan Maloney told commissioners felony cases have risen sharply since 2021 and overall cases have more than doubled since 2019; the DA presented a budget with a 13% increase to cover restructuring and new clerical hires.
District Attorney Meaghan Maloney and Office Manager Christopher Dostie presented the DA office’s FY27 request, describing a 13% budget increase to accommodate wage changes and a modest expansion of clerical support. Maloney told commissioners that felony caseloads are “up significantly since 2021” and that overall caseloads have risen more than 100% since 2019, a trend she linked to changes in State procedures and cited as the rationale for restructuring.
The DA office has hired a restitution clerk and is training another clerk to assist the victim’s advocate, measures presented as necessary to handle increased administrative workload. Commissioners asked for case-count detail; Maloney supplied the broad trend and the staffing response, and the board accepted the presentation as part of the larger FY27 budget discussion.
