"Our ratio of people to judges is just super high," she said. Sen. Travis Hutson and Stevenson filed identical bills, SB 816 and HB 417, requesting an additional county judge. While those haven't advanced, the request was included in HB 5301. The cost to the state for an additional judge would be about $300,000 a year for the judge and support staff, Stevenson said. St. Johns County's population, caseload grows The county is part of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court, which also includes Flagler, Putnam and Volusia counties. Judges in the circuit are based at several courthouses in the region. In St. Johns County, four circuit judges and two county court judges hear cases at the county courthouse.