MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — Crime didn't stop when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, however, courthouses across the state of Michigan were forced to operate in limited capacity. That meant putting felony cases on hold and now courts are experiencing a significant backlog.
These are serious felony-level cases such as homicides, assault with intent to murder, criminal sexual violence and gun violence.
Courts could be getting some help from the state to tackle this backlog.
Pre-pandemic in Muskegon County, prosecutors were trying about one to two felony cases a month. Now they're averaging two to three felony cases a week.
"My prosecutors are handling more cases than what the national average requires them to handle," said DJ Hilson, Muskegon County Prosecutor.
Hilson has had to spread some felony cases amongst his entire legal staff including his district and family court lawyers.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a $6.35 million investment Thursday to reduce the court backlog. She proposed increasing the number of visiting judges with funding for prosecution and defense staff.
"Anytime you're dealing with a backlog, the more resources you can put into that issue, and for us in the criminal justice system, it's more judges, it's more prosecutors, it's more defense lawyers because that's the mechanism that tries the case essentially," Hilson said.
In addition, with the opening of the new Michigan State Police forensic crime lab in Grand Rapids Thursday, Hilson said cases can get on the trial docket faster.
"On our more serious cases where we're looking for DNA or finger-prints or we're having guns processed, we can see a faster turn around so that isn't a cause of the delay."
The governor said she'll be discussing this investment plan in more detail in the weeks ahead.
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