Both Marion and Jefferson counties saw felony cases filed increase in 2017 over the previous year.

In Marion County felony cases were up from 423 in 2016 to 561 last year and misdemeanor charges grew slightly to 402 from 386 the prior year.

In Jefferson County, prosecutors filed 545 felonies in 2017, a jump from 458 filed in 2016. Misdemeanor cases stayed roughly the same with 393 filed in 2017 compared to 398 filed in 2016.

More than 125 cases prosecuted in Jefferson County in 2017 resulted in prison sentences, approximately a 25 percent increase over 2016. In Marion County Court 90 prison sentences were handed down in 2017.

Both Marion County and Jefferson County seated new state’s attorneys in their prosecutor’s offices in 2016.