THEY'RE SCRAMBLING AT THE BERNALILLO COUNTY METRO COURT IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE. THREE JUDGES ARE LEAVING FOR THE DISTRICT COURT ACROSS THE STREET. METRO COURT CHIEF JUDGE JUDITH NAKAMURA TELLS 770 KKOB THEY KNEW THIS SITUATION WAS COMING SINCE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION BUT IT STILL MEANS THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. SHE SAYS EVERYONE IS JUGGLING BUT AT LEAST THEY'VE HAD SOME LEAD TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE CHANGE. 

 

NAKAMURA SAYS ONE WAY THEY'RE DEALING WITH THE SHORTAGE IS TO BRING IN TWO RETIRED METRO COURT JUDGES TO HELP HANDLE THE CASELOAD. NAKAMURA HOPES TO HAVE PERMANENT REPLACEMENTS WORKING AT METRO COURT BY THE END OF NEXT MONTH.