RIDGECREST, Calif. (KERO) — After receiving an overwhelmingly negative response, the presiding judge of Kern County Superior Court has recommended a change in the plans for an Eastern Kern Courthouse.
Presiding Judge J. Eric Bradshaw has recommended the Court Facilities Advisory Committee of the California Judicial Council re-scope its plans for a four-courtroom consolidated courthouse in the Mojave/Tehachapi area. Instead, Judge Bradshaw recommended a three-courtroom facility in that area, leaving the two existing courtrooms in Ridgecrest.
Judge Bradshaw wrote that the court may request at a later time for the committee to reconsider restoring the Ridgecrest facilities to the statewide list of court capital projects, a list the facilities had previously been ranked high on for years. He concluded, however, that the court is not making that request at this time, as they do not want to link both projects.
This request comes following three informational community meetings held at the beginning of the month: one in Bakersfield, one in Ridgecrest, and one in Mojave.
"Our court's process in vetting the requested change was flawed, and as a result, our decision was not fully or properly informed," Judge Bradshaw wrote. " We are now trying to correct that error."
In January 2022, the former presiding judge asked the committee to consolidate the Mojave and Ridgecrest courthouses in favor of the four-courtroom project. During the meetings, Judge Bradshaw offered three alternatives to that plan: continuing with the current consolidation, replacing the four-courtroom project in favor of a three-courtroom plan and leaving the two existing courtrooms in operation in Ridgecrest, and removal of New East County Courthouse from funding consideration to future fiscal year.
However, attendees in the meetings offered their own alternative: returning to the original plan placing Ridgecrest and Mojave back on the "immediate needs" list. During the meetings, Bradshaw said while he was willing to consider this, this option could result in the committee deciding to pull funding altogether.
"After seeking and receiving input from stakeholders, our justice partners and the public, one clear truth is evident: The overwhelming view is that closing a courtroom and reducing services in Ridgecrest is neither desirable nor a good idea," Judge Bradshaw wrote.
One of the key points that Ridgecrest City officials took issue with was the lack of consideration for those impacted by the original decision. Judge Bradshaw noted that certain groups were not given fair opportunity for input, including: California City Police, California Highway Patrol, China Lake Naval Base, the Kern County District Attorney's Office, Kern County Sheriff's Office, among others.
Judge Bradshaw wrote that finance was a major consideration in consolidating. He noted that the decision to consolidate was made before the passing of Measure K, a one-cent sales tax in unincorporated Kern, providing $54,000,000 annually. Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood stated during the meetings that he planned to focus on recruitment efforts in Eastern Kern, in hopes of eventually reopening the Ridgecrest jail.
"The proposed consolidation of two outlying courts appears to be exactly the opposite of what the local taxpayers expected," Judge Bradshaw wrote.
The letter will now be taken into consideration by the Judicial Council’s Facilities Advisory Committee.
