Judge scolds county attorney for poor communication

Justice of the Peace Judge Audrey Barger scolded Hill County Attorney Jessica Cole-Hodgkinson Monday afternoon in Justice Court for the county attorney office's poor communication with other offices in the legal system, among other issues.

"Please don't make my staff have to run you down. Just respond," Barger told Cole-Hodgkinson.

Barger cited instances where her staff, as well as various attorneys, waited for responses on cases and never received them.

"There are things that are routine that we don't think you care about," Barger said.

Cole-Hodgkinson was ordered to appear in Barger's court to give reason for the county attorney's absence for a trial Feb. 8, "if any she may have, why she shall not be held in contempt of this Court," the order document says.

Cole-Hodgkinson essentially told Barger the paperwork regarding the Feb. 8 trial was misfiled and no one from her office knew they had to be there.

"Nothing got calendered," Cole-Hodgkinson said.

Cole-Hodgkinson told Barger she understood the judge's frustration.

"This smacks of disrespect, your honor," Cole-Hodgkinson said.

Monday's hearing was set to determine if Cole-Hodgkinson should be held in contempt of court, but Barger said she believed there is a case that says a prosecutor cannot be held in contempt for failure to appear and dismissed the case, but not before addressing the communication issues.

"Let's work toward this not happening again," Barger said. "I want the public to feel they're getting a fair deal and getting run with impartiality."

Cole-Hodgkinson gave Barger's clerk her cellphone number and indicated in several instances she would take steps to improve communication between her office and anyone that needs to communicate with her.