New 13th Judicial District Judge Will Hear Criminal Cases

District Attorney Bryant Dunaway said an additional court judge will aid the workload.

Dunaway said the state legislature introduced a bill that would grant several districts a new judge position. He said the bill creates a new criminal court judge for the 13th Judicial District, bringing the total number of trial judges to six.

“This judge will handle and hear criminal matters,” Dunaway said. “There’ll be three judges in total that will hear criminal cases. They will be able to sit by interchange and help each other out and hear different kinds of cases. But day in and day out in dockets this will be a criminal court judge that will hear criminal cases only.”

Dunaway said there will be applicants that apply for the appointment and will be interviewed by the judicial selection committee.  Dunaway said because this is a new position being created during the regular term, Governor Bill Lee will select the appointee to fill the seat until next year.

Dunaway said whoever the appointee is will have to be on the ballot and run for election in 2024. He said any attorney can run on that ballot, even if they are not appointed by the governor.