Territorial Court Judge Maria Cabret Thursday outlined her goals for the court if she is appointed presiding judge.
At a session of the Senate Rules Committee, Cabret said her chief goal is to end the backlog of civil cases through an "immediate improvement in case-flow management."
"The problem of the congested court docket is never unique or endemic to the Territorial Court," Cabret said. "It's a nationwide problem."
Cabret, with 12 years on the bench, said her other priority is to computerize the court's operations. Everyone from lawyers to clerks and the general public is waiting for full computerization, she said.
"And no one — no one – is more eager than I," she said. "But it will take substantial up-front funding."
Computerization will be a major factor in unclogging the backed-up court docket by allowing judges access to information on cases.
Cabret also said she would work on retirement benefits for Territorial Court judges. With a retirement benefit cap of $65,000 a year, she said judges face a low pension after serving on the bench.
"This guarantees a lower standard of living once they retire," she said. "Our benefits must improve."
The Rules Committee voted to forward Cabret's nomination to the Senate with a favorable recommendation. The committee also forwarded the nominations of Judge Ive Swan and attorney Rhys Hodge.
