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41 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, November 14, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 12, 2004 New Justice Court will open Dec. 7 By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune Sheriff’s deputies likely will be handing out more traffic tickets in anticipation of a new county court’s inception. The Southern Justice Court of Jackson County will open Dec. 7 in Central Point, officials said. The new court was conceived earlier this year to handle citations issued by deputies targeting speeding and other traffic violations. Medford attorney Joe Charter was elected last week to take the bench. Traffic fines are expected to pay the court’s yearly operating cost of $213,000, which includes the building’s lease, Charter’s salary and wages of two clerks, said County Administrator Sue Slack. Charter said he will work part-time as justice of the peace while maintaining his law practice. His election follows an unsuccessful bid for Jackson County Circuit Court judge in 2002 when he lost the race to Bill Purdy. "I’m very gratified," Charter said. "I’m looking forward to serving the county." Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s office will appoint Charter so he can assume the elected justice post before January. The new court is at 55 S. Fifth St. in a building owned by attorney and state Rep. Dennis Richardson. Advertisement Court fines and fees will provide $623,000 annually for the sheriff department’s traffic team. Two deputies initially will be dedicated to traffic patrols, but Sheriff Mike Winters said he expects to hire four more deputies soon. County commissioners approved the new court district in March after Winters reported that the county has a high rate of death and injury caused by auto crashes. The court will handle only non- criminal violations. Circuit Court will continue hearing the sheriff’s department’s cases involving intoxicated drivers. The future of the county’s Justice Court in Gold Hill remains uncertain, Slack said. Winters stopped sending citations there after Justice of the Peace Robert King was cited in June for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Prior to King’s arrest, county officials said his court couldn’t handle the anticipated volume of citations generated by the traffic team. King’s staff will be moved to the new Justice Court, Slack said. However, King cannot be removed from his elected position, and his term does not expire until 2008. By law, judges’ salaries cannot be reduced during a term of office. The county has projected a revenue shortfall of $124,000 through this month because of the Gold Hill court’s virtual closure. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities