CROWN POINT | The Hammond City Court's obituary may be written within the Lake County government's 2010 budget.

Lake County Council President Larry Blanchard, R-Crown Point, said they have prepared next year's spending plans on the assumption the county will take over the caseload of Hammond's municipal court, a move that will shift about $2.5 million in court operations off the backs of city residents and onto those of every taxpayer in the county.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said he told county officials the court, which processes 30,000 traffic and other minor offenses and evictions, is a luxury the city no longer can afford.

However, Hammond City Judge Jeffrey Harkin said he isn't gavelling his court into permanent recess without a fight.

"(McDermott) doesn't have the authority to do that. Only the City Council has," Harkin said. "The voters in Hammond elected me to run their court through the end of 2011. I don't think it would be responsible government for someone to try and disenfranchise the voters. They want a court in this city."

The judge said his court provided the city with about $600,000 last year in revenue from fines and costs, "not taking into account the 10,000 hours of community service we supervise and the 1,400 graffiti hits we removed from city property last year. There are a lot of intangibles."

McDermott said the court loses about $2 million every year.

"The revenue is offset by the cost of the employees and other court expenses," he said. "If the court were a moneymaker, we would keep it."

McDermott said he already has been lobbying the City Council, which could vote on the court's fate Sept. 30.

"I think its necessary now, in light of the serious financial situation in the city. I think I've got the votes," McDermott said.

Harkin said that outcome would have a nasty impact on the county.

"If there is no Hammond city court, where do people go? That would be Crown Point, and there aren't a whole lot of buses running between here and Crown Point," he said. "I'm not sure the public transit system is prepared to take on additional riders. We don't even know bus service would exist next year."

McDermott said many of the court's cases could go to the Lake Superior Court county division courthouse on Russell Street in downtown Hammond, and minor ordinance violations, such as those involving untrimmed lawns, could be processed by a less formal public board.

"If you do commit a crime and have to go to Crown Point, that is the least of your worries. The moral to the story is don't get charged with a crime and you won't be inconvenienced," McDermott said.

Blanchard said county officials aren't taking sides in that debate, but nevertheless, they are required by law to assume the administration of justice as well as the financial burden if the City Council does abolish the city court. He said the county had to assume the costs of the Hammond health department when it was abolished in 2008, and the state agreed all county taxpayers would pick up the costs.