Federal court official taking Riverside County job

Riverside, CA – The chief executive and clerk of the federal court in California's Central District is taking a similar position at the backlogged Riverside County Superior Court.

In September, Sherri Carter will take over a 1,200-person organization that has been slowed considerably by its case backlog. The state Judicial Council says Riverside's court system has only half the jurists it needs.

The backlog has forced judges to dismiss at least 17 criminal cases since the start of 2007.

Carter says the challenges are what drew her to the job. Riverside's courts will be transitioning to an automated electronic filing system, a project that Carter stewarded at the Central District.

She will be replacing Inga McElyea, who is retiring after more than 30 years on the job.