Brian Austin
Brian Austin Biography
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Madera County is at the beginning of a period of amazing growth. With talk of Casino’s and highways being built through this county, the decisions of who will hold office is now in the hands of the many and not a select few. My opponent would have taken the office by default if I had not entered the race, and his current powerful position would be appointed to someone without an election..
Citizens of Madera County deserve a choice as to who will be their Judge. Decisions regarding divorces, child custody, contract disputes and criminal matters, should be to a person elected by the people and will be for all people.
I will be fair and impartial to all people of Madera County and will apply the law as such. I am not a professional politician, without loyalties to a small group of supporters who have previously kept me in office.
Madera County judge
Two people are running to replace Superior Court Judge John W. DeGroot. They are Brian T. Austin, an attorney and college instructor, and Ernie LiCalsi, Madera County District Attorney.
Austin on backlogs
Provide proper staffing of the court system.
The single greatest factor for court delays is an under staffed system. With more and more cases entering the system every day, a backlog has built up. The State has failed to provide the counties with the additional Judges, Bailiff’s, Clerks, etc., to handle the backlog, yet somehow, the staff gets the job done.
Each and every county is understaffed and has vacant judicial positions. Until these needs are filled, temporary solutions will only act as bandages on the problem. Without the hardwork of the current court personnel, the system would have failed long ago.
Austin on courtroom efficiency
By the continued hardwork and dedication of all court staff and accompanying personnel.
Justice exists in our system when the system runs smoothly. With the shortage of courtrooms and staff to manage the courtrooms, the delays are the only thing allowing our justice system to function. If the problem of understaffing is not corrected, the system is in danger of collapse. These delays can contribute to a clogging of the system, yet without some of the delays, the system would have to dismiss many of the cases regardless of their merit. Though I believe justice is being administered, I see it on the precipice of failure, if more courts and are not filled with the personnel necessary to run them . If it were not for the dedicated and hard working court staff and all those working in the system, justice would have been denied, but it currently exists.
Austin on courtroom security
Not to sound like a broken record, but the proper funding of the State Court System.
In Madera County, our courtrooms are in old buildings that were never designed for housing a court system. The central courthouse is in an old school that was, at one time, condemned. It has been adapted for use and continually is revamped in order to handle the growing case loads it is merely added onto.
The security to transport prisoners around the courthouse is extremely dangerous for the deputies and the public. We desperately need a new courthouse with proper housing and movement walkways for prisoners.
Sometime the courthouse is so full, it is almost claustrophobic. If a disaster were to occur while the court was full, it would be complete chaos. It is imperative the State quickly and without delay, complete the building of the new courthouse in Madera.
The Bass Lake Courthouse, which is further down on the States lists, is bursting at the seams. It was not designed to properly handle the growth that area has seen. It is in a location that is not central for the mountain area and is slated to be moved in the future.