Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Warren County built a courtroom wrong. Now they want to change the state constitution.
This makes me so angry.
New Jersey Sen. Michael Doherty proposes bill to give counties power over courtroom costs
As Warren County and the state judiciary continue to squabble over who should foot the bill to fix a courtroom declared by a judge to be unconstitutional, one state lawmaker has proposed legislation to give counties the final say in courthouse expenditures.
Sen. Michael Doherty said he plans to introduce a bill that would give county officials final authority on costs related to courtrooms, judges' chambers, equipment and supplies. The bill would also give the county's elected officials the power to determine whether courtroom facilities are "suitable" according to the terms of the law.
Such changes would "prevent the spendthrift state judiciary from wasting county taxpayer dollars in these kinds of disputes," said Doherty, R-Warren/Hunterdon.
...
Soon after the renovations were complete, Superior Court Judge Ann Bartlett ruled that a 6-inch-wide support pillar in the courtroom, which blocks the defense table's line of sight to the jury box and witness stand, made trials held there unconstitutional.
More...
As Warren County and the state judiciary continue to squabble over who should foot the bill to fix a courtroom declared by a judge to be unconstitutional, one state lawmaker has proposed legislation to give counties the final say in courthouse expenditures.
Sen. Michael Doherty said he plans to introduce a bill that would give county officials final authority on costs related to courtrooms, judges' chambers, equipment and supplies. The bill would also give the county's elected officials the power to determine whether courtroom facilities are "suitable" according to the terms of the law.
Such changes would "prevent the spendthrift state judiciary from wasting county taxpayer dollars in these kinds of disputes," said Doherty, R-Warren/Hunterdon.
...
Soon after the renovations were complete, Superior Court Judge Ann Bartlett ruled that a 6-inch-wide support pillar in the courtroom, which blocks the defense table's line of sight to the jury box and witness stand, made trials held there unconstitutional.
More...
The rules that said you can't block a defense table's view of the jury and the witness stand were around when they approved the plans. Now this GOP county screwed up and are trying to blame the Democratically controlled state government.
what idiots