Brown County Courts are losers in JFC budget process

GREEN BAY, WI—(WGBW)— Brown County loses the chance to address huge backlog of cases with one action by the Joint Finance Committee (JFC). The Republican-led JFC rejected a motion in the Wisconsin state budget that would have expanded Brown County’s Circuit Court System by adding judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and other staff.

The proposal had bipartisan support, with lawmakers calling attention to the severe backlog of cases in Brown County. However, on Tuesday of this week, the bill was rejected on a party-line vote.

One of the legislators supporting the bill was Senator Jamie Wall (D-Green Bay). 

“I spoke with Governor Evers about the backlog of criminal cases in the Brown County Courts as he was crafting his budget, and I am disappointed that my Republican colleagues refused to invest in public safety in our community,” Wall said in a press release. “Their decision will cost local property taxpayers money, delay justice for defendants and victims, and make us less safe.”

Pending felony cases in Brown County have increased by over 220% in the last decade. Over 500 instances involve individuals waiting over two years in jail for their day in court.