Senior judges play vital role in court system

In the 6th Judicial District, there is always more work than 13 district judges can handle.

So court officials are pleased when retired district judges such as Thomas Koehler apply to become senior judges.

Koehler, 78, who has been on the bench since 1979, said he's just not ready to leave.

'They are going to have to kick me out,” Koehler said with a grin.

Judges have mandatory retirement at 72, but if they apply and are appointed as senior judges, they can work at least 13 weeks or 65 days per year, until age 78. Then they can apply for one-year terms until age 80.

'The seniors are a big cost benefit to the state,” Senior Judge David Remley, 70, said. 'We don't get any extra (money) for more days, but really, we do it because we enjoy it.”

Seniors only receive an annual stipend of $8,527, a monthly retirement annuity which is based on their salary at retirement and a portion of the senior's and their spouse's health insurance.

However, most of them work more hours than the requirement. Koehler, for example, has worked an average of 80 days a year since 2009.

Kellee Cortez, assistant District Court administrator, said last week the district heavily relies on Koehler, Remley and the six other senior judges to keep the cases moving. She schedules the court proceedings and judges for the district, which includes Linn, Johnson, Iowa, Jones, Benton, and Tama counties.

'This district would struggle without the senior judges,” Cortez said.

Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Patrick Grady said the senior judges have proved to be vital in the past during the budget cuts.

Grady added that seniors will be crucial next month when Judge Douglas Russell retires because Grady has been told he can't replace him until the state judicial budget is resolved.

Russell likely will apply for senior status, but it will be challenging with one less full-time judge.

Cortez said that according to a report created by the district in 2010, four additional judges were needed at that time to get the district in the median numbers for both case filings and dispositions per judge. But that's not even a fair comparison today, she said, because the population has increased, along with the court cases.

There were 94,928 case filings in this district in 2014. Polk County, by contrast, had 121,652.

Each of the eight judicial districts in the state differ in the number of district judges, ranging from seven judges in the 4th district, which includes Pottawattamie and Montgomery counties, to 26 in the 5th, which includes Polk.

The number of senior judges vary from one in the 7th, which includes Davenport, to 11 in the 5th.

Grady said the number of judges for each district is based on a statutory formula, but all the districts would argue that they need more judges.

Remley, the former chief judge, said he always planned to take senior status. But when he retired in 2009, the state court system had major budget cuts, laying off court attendants and court reporters.

So he tried to find a way to contribute without using a court reporter and started doing the settlement conferences for divorce and other civil matters.

Senior Judge Denver Dillard, 70, said it's a flexible program and a nice transition.

'It's hard to end your professional career and just walk away,” Dillard, who retired in 2012, said.