Huntington, W.Va. (AP) -- The West Virginia Supreme Court's administrator says the state's juvenile referee system is being eliminated because magistrates perform the same function in most counties.

Steve Canterbury says full-time referee positions in Kanawha and Cabell Counties, a secretary and a halftime referee in Wayne County will be eliminated September 1. Magistrates in those counties will begin handling juvenile cases.

The referees' duties include holding detention hearings for juveniles. They give juvenile offenders an opportunity to participate in an improvement program.

Canterbury says the move will save about $219,000 but that's not the reason for the court's decision. He says the justices believe the job was unnecessary.

Cabell County judicial officials say the referee system was successful and they're disappointed by the decision.

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