Download PDF Packet - Agenda

Steve Waterman
From: Claudia Lobell
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 20131"14 PM
To: Steve Waterman
Subject: FW:
fyi
From: Judge Brent Chesney
Sent: Wednesday, January 02,2013 1:13 PM
To: Judge Loyd Neal
Subject:
Judge Neat
I am submitting this to you and the commissioners court for your kind consideration. As you know when I originally
made request for an associate judge I indicated a need for 20 hours a week to properly serve Nueces County. As you
know I server the only court in Nueces county who handles what I handle. At the time of my original request, I was the
only district and or county court at law judge without any judicial back up (i.e. use of an associate judge). In the spirit of
cooperation, we came to an agreement to try ten hours first and let me show you that I would not exceed my budget
even with the additional use ofJudge Huerta's time. As you will note with the 2011/2012 fiscal year now being complete
I actually came in under budget even with the additional ten hours a week provided by Judge Huerta. Because of the
kindness of the commissioners court to allow this I was able to run a more efficient court and actually save the county
money by coming in UNDER BUDGET and serve the citizens of Nueces county the way they deserve to be served.
Therefore, I am making the request that you allow me to use Judge Huerta for five more hours a week beginning
February 1, 2013. I again will save money in other areas and by running more efficiently to ensure that this too does
not cost the taxpayers any additional funds. Further, with the great financial liability for the county surrounding
guardianship files Judge Huerta will be used amongst other things, during these five hours to help maintain those files.
As an associate judge she is limited judicially to CPS and Juvenile matters. However as a trained attorney in
guardianships she can help immensely in the areas of continuing to get these files in compliance while I continue to
oversee them judicially. I have made great progress in cleaning up these guardianship files and in fact all the files in my
court. I have disposed of hundreds of guardianship files that were sitting stagnate as far back as the 1980's. There is still
much to be done in the way of getting the remaining files in compliance. Many people do not follow the guardianship
rules and we are cracking down on that like never before in this court. I am able to do what I have done because of the
commissioners court foresight in providing me the services of Judge Huerta. Further her abilities as a judge will be of
great help to continue to run this court the way it should be run. Our trial docket is extremely heavy and these cases
that deal with families lives take a great deal of court time. You will note I am again making a conservative request as I
do believe adding 10 more hours a week is the right number but want to continue to prove to the commissioners court
that I will run this in a cost efficient manner.
I have a judge who is familiar with the files and can step in and have them heard on a moment's notice while I work on
other important court business. I have proven that I can do this with no additional cost to the citizens of this county,
serve the community and clean up this court in a much needed way. I appreciate your consideration of this and am
hopeful for a positive response. Things are working better here and this will only enhance the county that we all so love.
Please call on me for any additional information or questions. Happy New Year!
Judge Brent Chesney
1