Committee approves SB 234 to add circuit judgeship in fast‑growing district

Senator Tyler Deese (Senate District 35) presented SB 234 and said the Judicial Resource Assessment Committee recommended an additional circuit‑court judgeship because caseloads in the relevant judicial district have risen with local population growth. Deese said the review showed an average caseload of about 1,857 matters in the affected district and recommended creating an additional judgeship to address the workload.

Circuit Judge Troy Braswell, who testified with the senator, described the Judicial Council’s careful review of caseload data and local sign‑offs. Braswell told the committee the district has had the highest caseload in three of the last five years and that local stakeholders — local legislators, quorum court, county judge, prosecutors and public defenders — supported the request. Braswell also noted that a courthouse construction project in Benton County will accommodate an additional judgeship.

Committee members asked no substantive follow‑up questions on the bill after the witnesses spoke. The committee voted by voice to pass SB 234. The chair announced the ayes had it and congratulated the sponsor.

The bill as presented concerns an expansion of judicial capacity in one circuit because of documented caseload pressures; sponsors and the judicial witness described a multi‑year review process by the Judicial Resource Assessment Committee and judicial counsel before advancing the request to the legislature.