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Kent County Board of Commissioners approves new probate judgeship

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Kent County residents will be electing a new probate judge this falls as the Kent County Board of Commissioners recently voted to add one new probate judge position.

The Kent County Commissioners has decided to add a fifth judgeship to the probate court. (Supplied)

“Our current judiciary staff is hard-working, but the work and time needed to handle the high caseloads was not sustainable,” said Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Stan Stek. “The addition of a probate judge will provide much-needed support to our court while being efficient with our resources.”

With Kent County’s increasing population, the probate court’s caseload has grown by more than 60 percent since 2008.

In 2019, the State Court Administrators’ Office (SCAO) recommended three judgeships for Kent County- one in each in the Probate, 17th Circuit, and 63rd District courts – based on a review of population trends and court caseloads. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly slowed and altered the legislative approval process of adding additional judgeships. However, Governor Whitmer signed into law Senate Bill 694 (Public Act 08 of 2022) in February, which created a new probate judgeship for Kent County and five other new judgeships across the state.

Meanwhile, a Board of Commissioners Judicial Resources Subcommittee was appointed to review the actions of the SCAO and the State Legislature and make a recommendation to the full Board regarding the addition of new judgeships. The Subcommittee subsequently recommended adding an additional probate judge position.

“The Probate Court is facing an overwhelming docket so adding a new judge to the bench will ensure cases will be considered timely and more efficiently,” said Chief Probate Judge David M. Murkowski.

Chief Probate Judge David M. Murkowski

“The beneficiaries of this additional judicial resource will be the residents of Kent County. We appreciate the Board of Commissioners, State Legislature, and Supreme Court understanding our need and approving the addition of a new probate judge.”

The new probate judge will be chosen by election, with the filling deadline in April and the primary election in August. The general election is in November 2022. The new judge will assume the office on Jan. 1, 2023.