DeKalb County and the rest of the 13th Judicial District will reman unaffected by state’s first judicial redistricting since 1984, unveiled by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey Monday.
The new plan will reduce the number of judicial districts statewide from 31 to 29, which will result in two fewer district attorneys general and two fewer district public defenders and a savings — according to Ramsey — of $600,000 per year in salaries and benefits.
The only merger in Middle Tennessee will be the 31st District of Warren and Van Buren counties, which will merge into a new 14th District with Coffee and Cannon counties.
The most radical changes to the map will be the combination of two judicial districts in Northwest Tennessee.
The current 29th Judicial District, comprised of only Dyer and Lake counties, will be merged into the 27th District, now  adding Obion and Weakley counties, to form a new, four-county 27th Judicial District.
The plan must be approved by the state legislature before it would go into effect at the start of the next judicial term on Sept. 1, 2014.
Lawmakers, the judiciary and the Tennessee Bar Association have agreed on the new plan, however, paving the way for legislative approval.
The plan’s only effect on Shelby County is the redesignation of the single-county district from the 30th District to the 29th.
The plan leaves West Tennessee with a total of seven districts, down from the current eight.
The plan creates two new single-county districts — Williamson and Rutherford — to the current nine.
Williamson and Rutherford, both in the Nashville metropolitan area, are two of the fastest growing counties in the state.
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, will see the plan through the Senate.
“Change is never easy but we have come together to create a map that ensures Tennesseans get the best possible service from their public defenders, district attorneys and judges,” Norris said.
When judicial maps were last drawn in 1984, they consolidated for the first time the jurisdictions of district attorneys, public defenders, judges and other judicial functions into unified districts.
Population shifts and differing caseloads made redistricting necessary, Ramsey said. “When the issue of judicial redistricting was first presented to me, it was clear action needed to be taken. After 30 years, the changes experienced in our state need to be reflected in the districts of Tennessee’s judges, district attorneys and public defenders,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey said recently that feedback from the general public and groups with a stake in the outcome of judicial redistricting was “extremely encouraging,” and that they were to be commended for their participation in the process.
“The response we have gotten to our public call for judicial district maps is extremely encouraging,” said Ramsey. “I would especially like to commend the Public Defenders Association as well as the Tennessee Bar Association for coming to the table and sharing their ideas.”
The 14 maps submitted and placed on the General Assembly’s website (http://www.capitol.tn.gov/senate/judredist/judredist.html) represent a varied approach to redistricting the states judicial districts.
Though the deadline to submit a proposal was March 1, parties who requested an extension were given until March 8 to submit their map.
“While I'm disappointed that the leadership of the Trial Judges Association and the District Attorney's General Association refused to consider any changes to the 1984 map, I'm very pleased that many individual members of those groups contacted us to offer their ideas and help,” Ramsey said.  “Their individual input was helpful and appreciated.
“We came into this process with open minds and a desire to work with interested parties. The submitted maps have given us a lot of good ideas,” Ramsey said before the new plan was unveiled. “I look forward to working with members of the House and Senate to create a map that takes into account both regional integrity and population growth to ensure Tennesseans receive the best possible service from their judges, district attorneys and public defenders.”
Tennessee currently has 31 judicial districts which determine the areas judges, district attorneys and public defenders serve.
Many local judges and attorneys have voiced the opinion that changes to the existing map are not only unnecessary, they would be detrimental to the system in DeKalb County.
General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II recently told local media that studies in the past few years had  concluded that there was no need for redistricting.
“If it’s not broken, it doesn't need to be fixed,” Cook said.
To be considered, submitted plans were required to use 2010 federal census data and redistrict the entire state.
Regional integrity, geographic boundaries and ease of inter-county travel also had to be considered.