Possible change in court pact: Pullman plans to exclude court space

Pullman has no plans at this time to put a courtroom or district court offices in its new city hall building, leaving the county commissioners to debate whether to move all district court sessions to Colfax, or rent out space to continue to hold some district court sessions in Pullman.

Whitman County District Court for several years has been conducted at different venues depending on the day of the week. Three days a week, court sessions are at the courthouse in Colfax, the other two days sessions are in the city council chambers at Pullman City hall.

Due to state security requirements in building new courts, as well as the office space required for running a courtroom, Pullman isn’t looking to continue hosting district court in the new city hall, according Pullman City Administrator Adam Lincoln.

Currently, Pullman and Whitman County operate under an agreement that says that in lieu of paying filing fees to the county, the city would allow district court to get space at city hall for offices without paying rent.

Lincoln commented that accommodating the district court takes up city staff time as people will approach the city’s counter to be directed to district court. District court also ties up the council chambers Tuesdays and Thursdays when court is in session, and council business has to convene elsewhere if needed.

State security requirements for a court would put the costs on a new courtroom in excess of what Pullman has budgeted.

Pullman is in the process of moving its city hall to the former Encounter Ministries site it has purchased on Crestview.

Lincoln said he anticipates Pullman could be required to pay filing fees when the district court contract between the county and the city is revised.

County Commissioner Dean Kinzer noted added revenue from Pullman filing fees could help the county maintain district court services in Pullman.

Lincoln said Pullman isn’t planning to establish its own municipal court at this time.

Pullman now sends all citations and other misdemeanor infractions to district court.

Albion, Colton and Uniontown each have their own court, but Colfax is the lone municipal court which deals with misdemeanors and infractions.

John Hart of Pullman, who was elected to succeed Judge Doug Robinson on the district court bench, has served as judge of Colfax Municipal Court for the past six years.

Mayor Tom Vanek appointed Hart to the position after an application process back in Oct. 2012.

Hart said if the county decides to rent a new space for district court in Pullman, he’d prefer a location that is safe and offers plenty of parking.

Changing court locations would not change where court revenue from fines now go.

Traffic ticket fines go to the county district court, while revenue from parking tickets and other city code infractions go to Pullman, Lincoln said.

Kinzer Tuesday said the present contract between Pullman and the county carries a Sept. 1 date for either party to give notice of a change in status. Any new arrangement would have to be negotiated before the start of the next year and included in respective budgets.