Laramie County District Attorney Jeremiah Sandburg says his office has FILED 19 percent more felony charges through the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same time last year.

Misdemeanor cases were up by seven percent over the same period. Sandburg says it isn't clear what is driving the increase in court cases.

Sandburg says his office has so far this year conducted 25 felony trials, already exceeding the Laramie County District Attorney's Office record for a year, which was 21.

He says with two months left in the year there is a very real chance the local court system will be burdened with the "theoretical maximum" of 30 trials that is thought to be the most that can be handled by the local courts.

He says the increase in cases shows why a fourth District Court Judge "and potentially a fifth judge quite frankly" are needed in Laramie County. Sandburg says statistically the three district court judges in the county are "already doing the work of 4.3 judges" in terms of their recommended caseload.

Sandburg says he has already discussed the possibility of housing a fifth judge as part of the courthouse expansion project with county officials.

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