Court cases in Williams County have declined as energy activity has slowed, but caseloads in the oil patch county remain heavy.

The Williston Herald reports that about 2,100 criminal cases are expected to be filed this year in the county that's home to Williston, down from a peak of more than 2,750 filings in 2012.

State's Attorney Marlyce Wilder says theft cases remain steady, however, as people who have lost their jobs in the oil field struggle.

The clerk of court's office also is short-staffed. By fall, the office will have three open positions that can't be filled without state Supreme Court approval due to state budget cuts prompted by the oil slowdown.