State legislation (HB 1134) filed to create a fourth district court in Brazos County is not needed.

That's according to county judge Duane Peters, who cites state statistics that indicate based on case load, Brazos County has the equivalent of one and a half more courts than it needs.

Peters thinks one reason there is a backlog in the courts is that there is not enough state employees to do state required DNA testing.

Peters says the state pays for only the judge. He estimates a $1.5 million dollar cost to add a judge's staff and more lawyers and employees for the district attorney's office, along with creating the additional space. Peters says the cost would equal to a property tax rate increase of almost one cent.

HB 1134 has been referred to the Texas House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee.