Court schedule, office hours change again

Just a few months after the Iowa Supreme Court first announced furlough days and reduced hours, things have changed again in Jefferson County ? though this time, Jefferson County Attorney Tim Dille said it seems to be going smoother.

Beginning this month, district court service days have gone from being the first, second and fourth Monday of each month to being held every Tuesday, with the third Tuesday of the month reserved for criminal cases. Associate district court service days, which formerly took place Fridays and more recently only about one Friday a month, have moved to the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

Additionally, Jefferson County has gone from two trial dates per month ? one for felonies and one for indictable misdemeanors ? to one per month. Under the new system, Dille explained everything from operating while intoxicated charges up to murder cases could be scheduled for trial in one day.

Having just one trial day per month makes the list of cases just that much longer, Dille said. Cases at the end of the list get pushed back, and although it hasn?t created problems yet, he said there?s a potential to run up against regulatory deadlines.

?So far, we?re just waiting to see how it plays out,? Dille said.

During tough economic times, Dille said the number of lawsuits, divorces and court cases in general goes up.

?There?s more work to do and less people to do it,? he said, referring to the reduction in staff at the Jefferson County Clerk of Court?s Office. Statewide budget cuts have reduced the office?s staff from one part-time and four full-time employees to three full-time employees.

The clerk of court?s office now closes to the public at 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 1 p.m. Fridays, but the staff is still there. The 7.5 hours a week when the clerk of court?s office is closed to the public is designed to give staff time to attempt to catch up with the backlog.

Dille pointed out Jefferson County is not the only place in the state feeling the crunch.

For the complete article, see the Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.