HB 1609 -- ASSIGNMENTS BY A PRESIDING JUDGE

SPONSOR:  Diehl

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Judiciary by a vote of 12 to 0.

Currently, the presiding judge of the circuit court must certify
a case for assignment when a party files a petition,
counterclaim, cross claim, or third-party claim that
independently exceeds the jurisdiction of cases triable under
Chapter 517, RSMo, or when a consolidation of cases appear proper
and the consolidation would result in a claim exceeding the
jurisdictional limit of the division.  This bill removes that
requirement and allows the presiding judge to certify a case for
assignment.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2011, FY 2012, and
FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that judges want to make this
currently mandatory provision a discretionary provision.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Diehl; Judicial
Conference of Missouri; and Missouri Associate Circuit Judge
Voluntary Fund.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm