Court orders mediation in Muncie courts

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered the Delaware County Council and judges to try to mediate their dispute.

The Star Press reports ( http://tspne.ws/IcDc5w ) that acting Chief Justice Brent Dickson wrote in the order Monday that it is appropriate in the interest of judicial economy to order the parties to mediate their dispute before appointing a special judge to settle the dispute.

The dispute stems from the judges asking county council members if they could oversee their own $1.8 million annual budget, saying they wanted to reallocate some spending from the budget as approved by county council last fall. Council members refused to grant the judges' request, prompting four of the five Delaware Circuit Court judges to issue a mandate on March 15.