Debate precedes vote on St. Louis Circuit Court's individualized

St. Louis Daily Record & St. Louis Countian, Dec 11, 2006 by Allison Retka

A month of animated debate preceded the vote, with some members of the bar expressing alarm at the idea of individualized dockets.

* Attorneys strongly resisted a new system, saying they preferred the "predictability" of a centralized docket, where one judge hears all pre-trial motions.

* Supporters of the individual system touted the fact that one judge stays with a case from first filing to trial. "From day one, you know the case inside and out, and you will know the file," said U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey, a former city judge who urged the court to adopt individual dockets.

* Circuit Clerk Mariano V. Favazza said he has no position on the Jan. 1 changeover, but in September reported court statistics showed the productivity of circuit clerks in the five individual dockets had "absolutely" decreased since the start of the pilot program.