The Chief Judge of the Northern District of Texas Responds to Senator Schumer
A few weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter to Chief Judge Godbey of the Northern District of Texas. Schumer wrote, in so many words, That’s a really nice court you have there, it would be a shame if something happened to it.
On Tuesday, Judge Godbey wrote a two-page response to Schumer. He made several important points
First, the proposals to outright eliminate single-judge divisions disregard how litigation works in remote places like Amarillo or Wichita Falls.
The allocation of cases among our judges is a complex matter. In addition to the fair administration of justice, we must also consider: the number and type of civil and criminal cases filed in a division, which varies significantly from division to division; the convenience of the jurors, witnesses, parties, and attorneys; the desire of communities to have local judges; the burden of travel on court personnel; and the need to provide judicial support for divisions without a resident district judge. Our system of case allocation among available judicial officers is one that has evolved over the years to meet the particular needs of our District, and we constantly reevaluate it.
Second, Judge Godbey opined on the sheer size of the Northern District of Texas, which is not comparable to the Northern District of New York
Article from Reason.com
