RAYMONDVILLE – A Willacy County Justice of the Peace said he’s carrying the caseload of more than half the county.

With one JP newly retired and another on sick leave, Judge Juan Salinas said he’s taking on the caseload of three courts.

Meanwhile, the county said they want to bring the number of judges from five to three to save money.

Salinas, who’s based in Raymondville, said he’s taking over the precincts.

He said he now has to take Port Mansfield police and Game Warden’s cases from as far as 35 miles away.

Salinas said the efforts had increased his hours of operation this month. He said one clerk is getting bogged down.

“The paperwork has increased and the workload has increased… I’m overseeing almost half the county. It has really almost tripled the work for her,” he explained.

Salinas said he’s asking the county for additional clerks.

Salinas added another problem is how much time it’ll take to get out to Port Mansfield to declare a death. He said it's a populated area more than half a mile away from his office.