A shortage of courtroom space and some dissenting opinions could kill one senator's plan to put an additional jurist on the Circuit Court bench later this year.

Sen. Bryan Simonaire, R-Pasadena, after speaking to some of the 11 current members of the county's bench, publicly questioned last week whether the county needs 12 judges.

Those judges, whom he refused to name or even number, told him they aren't that busy at the County Courthouse in Annapolis and that they don't need any help - particularly given the state and county fiscal crisis.

"They are very concerned about it … (and) it puts into question why we are doing...