Elkhart County officials considering court consolidation

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. – Officials in Elkhart County are considering combining court houses after a measure may be approved to allow it.

According to our reporting partners at The Elkhart Truth, a study has been ongoing in Elkhart County regarding their two court houses.

The study has monitored the pros and cons of consolidating the original Elkhart County Court House in Goshen and the newer building in Elkhart.

The $45,000 study was approved in November by the Board of Commissioners but will soon end.

During the conduction of the study, judges and county employees have been surveyed about how they use the space and would like to use it in the future.

The Elkhart County Council will receive recommendations that come from the study, and potentially grant the funding for the consolidation.

A bill passed by the Senate on January 14 removes the requirement that certain superior court judges be located in Elkhart and Goshen.

In Goshen, the original court house hosts the circuit court and two of the six superior courts.

The newest court in Elkhart holds the four remaining superior courts and the juvenile magistrate’s office.

Senator Blake Doriot, who introduced the bill, said it will allow judges to hold sessions at any place in the county provided by the commissioners.

Elkhart County officials are now waiting for the final approval at the Statehouse.