TEAM EXPANDS FAST-TRACKING OF DRUG CASES

There's a new special drug unit in town, but it's not like the ones on the
real-life cop shows.

There are no drug-sniffing dogs or cops in fatigues busting into homes in a
rush of adrenaline. Instead, this group has judges and lawyers who sit there
and expedite cases.

Not very good TV. But the people involved are pretty excited - excited
enough to expand the program.

The Kern County court unit created in October fast-tracks minor drug
offenses through the system and tries to wrap them up early with plea
bargains. The unit will now step up its efforts by taking on more types of
cases.

So far, out of more than 400 cases handled, only four have gone to trial.

"It's a pretty efficient way of covering narcotics cases," said deputy
district attorney Valeta Wilde.

The program takes cases that are relatively easy to settle: felony
drug-possession defendants who have not been in prison before. But plea
bargains are even more likely with the cases separated from the rest of the
pack, officials said.

The unit limits involvement in the cases to a small group of judges and
lawyers, and judges are involved earlier than usual in the plea-bargain process.

"They know from the get-go what the case is probably worth," said municipal
Judge Colette Humphrey.

The group includes two Municipal Court judges and one Superior Court judge.
Usually, felony cases start with Municipal Court hearings, then move to
Superior Court for more hearings and eventually a trial.

The drug group's cases stay in Municipal Court from start to finish, cutting
down time between hearings.

Officials still are discussing how many more cases to take on, possibly by
adding defendants with some prison records, Humphrey said. The changes are
expected to take place next month.