Oversight welcome

Here's how constructive reform comes about when the interplay between the press and government works properly: The press exposes a wrong and the government moves to correct it.

A case in point was this newspaper's Dec. 5 story revealing that Georgia's system of paying retired judges for their circuit court work was hugely more generous than in other states of similar size. It was a shocking finding.

Hiring senior judges was supposed to save taxpayers' money, not cost them more. In some instances, senior judges make more money than sitting judges. The problem is lack of oversight. It needs to be corrected.

Government got the message. In the wake of The Chronicle's investigation, the state's Superior Court judges, the General Assembly and governor all began taking a look at the problem.

Taking the lead was the Council of Superior Court Judges, which appointed a committee to recommend improvements in the way retired judges are called back into service in Georgia. The panel is reviewing the laws governing senior judges and the process and procedures. Then the legislature and governor will take up the issue.

It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what needs to be done. Provide more oversight, and use as a model other states where retired judges are employed in a cost-effective manner.

At any rate, Georgians should be pleased that their government is taking the pay problem of senior judges seriously.