Part-time judges moved to full-time under new state law

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By Cornelius Frolik, Staff Writer Updated 1:30 AM Thursday, September 9, 2010

HUBER HEIGHTS — A new Ohio law that took effect Wednesday, Sept. 8, transformed Montgomery County’s two area courts into municipal courts and will change the permanent judgeships from part-time to full-time positions.

Judges James Manning and James Piergies gave up their private law practices so they could take the oath of office to become full-time municipal judges. They will receive full salaries and benefits.

Judges James Hensley Jr. and Adele Riley will remain part-time, and there will be one full-time and one part-time judge at the two court locations.

The courts are no longer called Area Court One and Area Court Two. They are Montgomery County Municipal Court Western Division (New Lebanon) and Eastern Division (Huber Heights).

But one position will be abolished on Jan. 1, 2016, and another position will be abolished in 2021, leaving two full-time judge positions.

According to the Supreme Court of Ohio, once the judgeship positions are reduced to two full-time spots, the state could save $46,000 annually, and Montgomery County could save as much as $54,000 per year, beginning no later than 2021.

But saving money was not the only goal.

The local judges and the state have long pushed for the change because there was always an inherent conflict of interest when practicing attorneys served as judges, Manning said.

“There was an appearance of impropriety,” Manning said.

Manning said the change will not only provide better service to the public, with better hours and more access, but also to local police agencies. When police officers need a search warrant or approval of a felony filing, officers have to track down a judge.

There will now be a judge in both buildings five days a week.

The new law, which was sponsored by state Sen. Fred Strahorn, D-Dayton, was unanimously approved by the Legislature.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-0749 or cfrolik@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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