City Judge Sherry Paty told City Council members on Tuesday that case numbers in the court are way down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a drop in the city police force of around 100 officers.
However, she said if there is a sharp rise in new cases there may still be a need for Division II of the court.
Division II Judge Russell Bean has announced he plans to retire next year, and City Council Chairman Chip Henderson is sponsoring a resolution to abolish Division II.
Chairman Henderson said he called the court and was told that Division II heard only 318 cases in 2019 and 422 in 2020. Judge Bean said that was "not accurate. I probably hear that many in a month."
He said Division I does hear a majority of the cases since all the animal and environmental cases went there.
Judge Paty said she hears the 8, 9 and 10 a.m. dockets and Judge Bean handles the 3, 4 and 5 p.m. dockets.
Other judges at the courthouse are not on the bench for eight hours at a stretch either, the council was told.
Judge Paty said judges have other duties off the bench, including signing court papers and reading citizen letters.
Councilman Anthony Byrd said he was interested in "strengthening" City Court, saying it once heard many types of cases.
The council was told that City Court is unlikely to get back its ability to hear felony cases.
Judge Bean said he mainly hears traffic cases, but police have been bringing fewer of those. He said it can depend on the agenda of the police chief on whether there will be a lot or a few speeding cases.
Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod said the court should get involved in handling small-time drug charges and marijuana cases.
Chairman Henderson said, "It seems like we are trying to create some work to justify two courts. For the eight years I've been up here we've been talking about doing away with one division of City Court. Now we're talking about keeping it."
Councilman Byrd said that was not his intention.
Judge Bean said it was true it would save the city $400,000 to $500,000 a year to close down his division, which also includes a court administrator and two court officers.
Judge Paty said she would favor including a provision that should cases go back up that there could be use of a magistrate or bring Division II back.