JUDGE COVERS THREE COURTS

NEW BOSTON — For more than a year, John B. Woods has essentially served as a circuit judge, sans the horse.

And, until state legislation authorizing a court consolidation is passed, he will continue to drive various Tug Hill back roads to preside over town courts in Harrisburg, Pinckney and Montague.

"Up here, the big deal is the winter," Judge Woods said. "It's a nice ride to Montague in the summertime."

He mentioned that during a snowstorm about a month ago, he was able to make it to the Montague town barn on Liberty Road for a court session, but an attorney drove into the ditch before reaching his destination.

Given the extensive snowmobile trail mileage in two of the towns, the winter also provides the heaviest caseloads, Judge Woods said.

"The problem with Pinckney and Montague is the work is compressed over the winter," he said.

Judge Woods, who lives on Boshart Road in the town of Harrisburg, said that late-night or early-morning arraignments also are difficult, particularly when he has to drive to Barnes Corners or into the heart of Montague.

"It's a pain in the neck to run to Harrisburg," said Judge Woods, who lives six to seven minutes from his town office. "But it's a shorter run."

Aside from the weather and drive time, the logistics of holding court in three separate locations also pose some issues.

All three court facilities have their own telephone numbers and mailing addresses, and some also have different physical addresses, Judge Woods said. Keeping track of which defendant is in which court can also be a challenge.

Because records must be maintained at each court facility, the judge last fall also had to purchase computer hardware and software — using funding through the state Justice Court Assistance Program — for both Montague and Pinckney at a cost of $3,060 apiece. Harrisburg's setup was purchased with grant funding from the prior year, Judge Woods said.

The software company provided a discount.

While three separate sets of records would still have to be maintained under a combined court, the judge said, he would like to maintain them on a single computer system.

Judge Woods also purchased a judicial robe — but only one — for $169.50 with the state funding. That essentially replaced a pair of old graduation/choir robes that he had purchased, with his own money, at a thrift store earlier in his judicial career.

"Up until the windmills came, Harrisburg was living on nickels and dimes," Judge Woods said. "You've got to be frugal."

In lieu-of-tax payments from the Maple Ridge Wind Farm have helped fill the coffers of several Lewis County towns.

Judge Woods, a retired diplomat with the U.S. Foreign Service, has been Harrisburg's justice since 1994.

Montague, through a series of temporary orders from the Fifth Judicial District administrative judge, has shared a justice with Pinckney since 1998 because no Montague residents have been interested in the job. Terry A. Brownell, a Pinckney resident, served as justice for both towns until stepping down in late 2007.

When those towns could find no interested candidates, they turned to Judge Woods. And last fall, all three towns passed resolutions seeking state legislative approval for a permanent consolidation of their courts and facilities.

"We're all looking forward to a single location," Judge Woods said. "It would make life simpler for all concerned."

Lewis County Legislator Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners, who represents the three towns plus Osceola and West Turin, said he's been working with the staff of state Sen. Joseph A. Griffo, R-Rome, on the project. However, officials from the Fifth Judicial District, who also are backing the proposed consolidation, may have to draft legislation to show the senator's staff exactly what is needed.

"I don't think it's going to be an issue," Mr. Lucas said. "We've just got to get them to understand what we're trying to do."

The towns plan to use the Harrisburg town hall, built in 2002, on Cobb Road as the primary court facility because it is relatively new, spacious and centrally located. It also has free wireless Internet service, which could allow Judge Woods to document cases from the bench via a laptop computer.

He would continue to hold court on separate nights for each town, twice a month for Harrisburg and once a month for Pinckney and Montague.

However, the towns should be able to reduce overall heating and maintenance costs and split training costs; and combining salaries may make the judge position more appealing to potential candidates, Judge Woods said.

While local judges are required to undergo 12 hours of training per year, "most of our judges do well beyond the 12 hours because they're interested," said Judge David S. Gideon, the Fifth Judicial District's special counsel for town and village courts.

"It's a brave person who will take this job and not take all the training you can get," Judge Woods said.