Effort underway to add more judges for federal cases in Central Valley

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- The local legal community laid out its case on Friday to add more federal court judges in the Central Valley.

Cases ranging from drug offenses to bankruptcy are heard inside the federal courthouse in downtown Fresno.

The US Court for the Eastern District of California covers 34 counties from Bakersfield to Redding.

"We have had six district judges assigned in this district since 1978. We have had no increases," said Anthony Ishii, a retired federal judge.

The population of the district has grown from two and a half million people in 1978 to over eight million people.

It's estimated each district judge has 1,298 cases pending.

"The reality is these judges are running at twice the level of the national average. That's a problem," said Craig Houghton with the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

"At this point in time they are not just busy, they are overloaded and what that means is cases are being delayed."

Fresno Congressman Jim Costa helped introduce The Caseload Act.

It would create five new judgeships in the district.

"Justice delayed is justice denied. And so this legislation is to try address that," said Costa.

If the additional judgeships are approved, they would be spread out over three election cycles.

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