The bench in the Warren County Courthouse is expanding. Gov. Jay Nixon is expected to appoint a third judge to the 12th Judicial Circuit in Warren County in the next few months according to court officials.The new associate circuit judge will join Presiding Circuit Judge Wesley Dalton and Associate Circuit Judge Richard Scheibe at the Warren County Courthouse and will preside over civil and criminal cases as well as the drug court. Scheibe was appointed to the bench in January by Nixon. He replaced Dalton who was elected presiding judge in August 2012 following the retirement of then Presiding Circuit Judge Keith Sutherland. Sutherland has taken “senior status” and is still hearing cases assigned to him by The Missouri Supreme Court.The new judge position will be created to help take the pressure off an increased caseload and to preside over the drug court, according to court officials. Under Missouri law, counties with a population of more than 30,000 qualify for two associate circuit court judges. According to the 2010 census, Warren County had a population of 32,513.The 12th circuit received approval for a second associate circuit judge in 2010. Before then, the county court had been assisted by drug court commissioner Carla Tanzy. Tanzy’s term, which ended Oct. 31, 2011, was not renewed by an en banc court. A drug court judge can only handle drug cases. Warren County Circuit Clerk Brenda Eggering said it was likely the en banc court’s decision to wait until a full-time associate judge was appointed.Gov. Nixon was supposed to appoint a new associate circuit judge in August. That time line has been pushed back to November. Eggering said this was likely due to the recent veto session and other pressing business before the governor.The Warren County Courthouse presently has three courtrooms, including two on the second floor and one on the first floor. The new associate judge will occupy the first floor courtroom, which is also used by visiting judges and Judge Sutherland.Eggering said it is likely that Judge Scheibe will continue hearing criminal cases and the new associate judge will hear civil cases and drug court for the three counties, Audrain, Montgomery and Warren, that make up the 12th circuit. The circuit court has also requested an additional bailiff to help with the full dockets. Sheriff Kevin Harrison said this could mean taking a deputy off patrol to serve as a bailiff.County Court Expected to Expand to Three Judges