Suburban and Rural Courts: Their Perspective Do Remote Hearings Pose Special Challenges?
11/20/23 • 38 min
November 21st, 2023, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Suburban and rural courts often face distinctive issues. These issues are different from those of truly small courts, but also different from the issues faced by massive metropolitan court organizations. It is tempting to always talk about big problems in big courts. It is easy to forget that two-thirds of the courts in our country are benches made up of fewer than 10 judges.
Today’s episode is going to revisit a relatively recent phenomenon: remote hearings. But it is going to look at it from the perspective of courts that are sometimes overlooked: suburban and rural courts.
As recently as 2019, remote hearings were an oddity. Few courts offered them; few parties asked for them. Then came COVID and remote hearings became a regular part of many court calendars. The long-term future of remote hearings is still a question mark. Most litigants, attorneys, and the general public seem to enjoy the convenience of appearing remotely. Judges seem less enthusiastic.
Appearance rates are up; more cases are being cleared. But, technology glitches, scheduling problems, and the casual nature with which some litigants treat remote hearings dampens that support. How do suburban and rural courts address the challenges that come with remote hearings.
Here to discuss this issue are
Angie VanSchoick: Town Clerk and Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the town of Silverthorne, Colorado;
Stacey Fields: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in Crestwood, Missouri;
Danielle Trujillo: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the City of Littleton, Colorado;
Frank Maiocco: Court Administrator for the Superior Court in Kitsap County, Washington
November 21st, 2023, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode
Suburban and rural courts often face distinctive issues. These issues are different from those of truly small courts, but also different from the issues faced by massive metropolitan court organizations. It is tempting to always talk about big problems in big courts. It is easy to forget that two-thirds of the courts in our country are benches made up of fewer than 10 judges.
Today’s episode is going to revisit a relatively recent phenomenon: remote hearings. But it is going to look at it from the perspective of courts that are sometimes overlooked: suburban and rural courts.
As recently as 2019, remote hearings were an oddity. Few courts offered them; few parties asked for them. Then came COVID and remote hearings became a regular part of many court calendars. The long-term future of remote hearings is still a question mark. Most litigants, attorneys, and the general public seem to enjoy the convenience of appearing remotely. Judges seem less enthusiastic.
Appearance rates are up; more cases are being cleared. But, technology glitches, scheduling problems, and the casual nature with which some litigants treat remote hearings dampens that support. How do suburban and rural courts address the challenges that come with remote hearings.
Here to discuss this issue are
Angie VanSchoick: Town Clerk and Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the town of Silverthorne, Colorado;
Stacey Fields: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in Crestwood, Missouri;
Danielle Trujillo: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the City of Littleton, Colorado;
Frank Maiocco: Court Administrator for the Superior Court in Kitsap County, Washington
Previous Episode
Courts, Workplace Culture, and Technology
August 24, 2023, A Question of Ethics Conversation Episode
Today’s Question of Ethics Conversation looks at workplace culture and technology. It focuses on the ethical challenges to workplace culture and technology as it pertains to Canon 1.1 of the NACM Model Code of Conduct which states that a court professional faithfully carries out all appropriately assigned duties, striving at all times to perform the work:
Diligently - characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort.
Efficiently - capable of producing desired results with little or no waste (as of time or materials)
Equitably - dealing fairly and equally with all concerned
Thoroughly - in a complete or thorough manner
Courteously - marked by respect for and consideration of others
Honestly – without cheating, genuine, without frills
Openly -exposed to general view or knowledge
Within the Scope of the court professional’s authority.
According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), an organization's culture defines the proper way to behave within the organization. This culture consists of shared beliefs and values established by leaders and then communicated and reinforced through various methods, ultimately shaping employee perceptions, behaviors and understanding.
Organizational culture sets the context for everything an enterprise does. Because industries and situations vary significantly, there is not a one-size-fits-all culture template that meets the needs of all organizations.
Workplace culture has a profound effect on any organization as these statistics bear out. 53% of working Americans who have left a job due to workplace culture report leaving because of their relationship with their manager.
94% of people managers agree a positive workplace culture creates a resilient team of employees.
97% of executives agree their actions have a direct impact on workplace culture.
Technology is a tool, but it can have a dramatic effect on workplace culture. "Technology can be used to enhance information and operations, improve public access to court information and services, and reduce administrative costs while increasing efficiency in case processing.”
This Question of Ethics Conversation looks at how technology plays a role in workplace culture for court users, for one’s co-workers, and on a court’s institutional knowledge.
Today’s Moderator
Creadell Webb: Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer; First Judicial District, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Today’s Panelists
Courtney Whiteside: Director, Municipal Court, St. Louis, Missouri
Karl Thoennes: Court Administrator, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Peter Kiefer: Retired Court Professional
Samantha Wallis: Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Ceclia Garner: Court of Court, General District Court, Richmond, Virginia
Next Episode
Employee Performance in the Workplace: Ethical Conundrums
October 26, 2023, A Question of Ethics Conversation Episode
Today’s Question of Ethics Conversation looks at several ethical challenges regarding employee performance. It discusses four questions many supervisors face in their oversight role.
Can you, as a supervisor, remain friends with colleagues once you have become their boss? This is an especially critical question when it comes time to promote someone, and you promote your ‘friend’.
-Are performance reviews good or bad? Are they useful tools for supervisors and managers?
-Is it ethical to use a personal relationship to get promoted in the workplace?
Is it ethical to treat each worker differently instead of having the same rules for everyone? (i.e., working from home)?
This Question of Ethics Conversation looks at how technology plays a role in workplace culture for court users, for one’s co-workers, and on a court’s institutional knowledge.
Today’s Moderator
Samantha Wallis: Deputy Trial Court Administrator, Supreme Court, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Today’s Panelists
Lizzie Alipaz: Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in the town of Tinmath, Colorado
Peter Kiefer: Retired Court Professional
Norman Meyer: Retried Clerk for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Mexico
Erika Schmid: Supervisor for the Multnomah County Circuit Court, 4th Judicial District, Portland, Oregon
Karl Thoennes: Court Administrator, 2nd Judicial Circuit, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Creadell Webb: Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer; First Judicial District, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/court-leaders-advantage-111912/suburban-and-rural-courts-their-perspective-do-remote-hearings-pose-sp-37396057"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to suburban and rural courts: their perspective do remote hearings pose special challenges? on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy