More judges for Kane County will require courthouse additions

Kane County will reap the benefits of a speedier court system in December 2010 when it welcomes four more judges to the circuit. The problem is, there's not enough room at the courthouse to accommodate them.

Chief Judge F. Keith Brown informed county board members of the problem last Friday. Brown has the option of sending the judges to Kendall or DeKalb counties, but said the judges are needed in Kane to deal with escalating crime, particularly in the areas of DUI and domestic violence offenses.

"There's going to be a challenge in 2010 because it's going to cost more money," Brown said.

The additional judges will almost certainly mean the county will have to add on to the existing courthouse. Beyond that, there may be a need to add more lawyers in the state's attorney's office and more clerks and courtroom security to staff the new courtrooms.

That's exactly what the county board doesn't want to hear at a time when it's trying to cut costs.

Court Administrator David Naughton told board members the courthouse was always envisioned as expanding; the county just never kept up with the expected need to grow as envisioned in 1990.

"We're behind in construction," Naughton said. "We have nowhere to go. We have more people coming."

Adding to that problem is a plague of lawyers quitting the public defender's office, said Public Defender David Kliment. Four public defense attorneys have recently quit Kliment's office to take jobs elsewhere. The resignations come at a time when the county is under a hiring freeze.

However, Kliment said he has no choice but to replace them as just about every courtroom is understaffed. Kliment said the starting salary for a public defender in Kane County is $39,400, lower than just about any place else nearby, including the smaller Kendall and DeKalb counties.

Board members asked for a more in-depth presentation on the need to add to the courthouse within 60 days so they can try to plan ahead.