In an order dated today and to be released later today, a consortium of Dade Judges are announcing a pilot project to stagger court starting times to alleviate courthouse crowding, parking issues, witness issues, juror issues, and even attorney issues.
To summarize, ten circuit criminal courts and two country criminal courts will start at 1:30 PM.
The order reasons that "after careful study there is a need to start some courts in the early afternoon. This will allow prosecutors to meet with witnesses in the morning at more convenient times, rather than trying to squeeze in seeing them in the early evening after court has concluded… many jurors surveyed indicated that their mornings are busy with child and work issues and if they had to time to spend the morning on personal issues that they could devote the rest of the day to trials. Additionally, an aging courthouse and parking issues and the problems they cause would be immediately alleviated with a significant number of individuals not entering the courthouse during the morning rush. "
How will this new schedule be implemented? By choice. Attorneys or clients will simply request "afternoon court" on their pleadings and the cases will be set in the afternoon. Pro se clients in county court will call into a special number and will be guided through an automated system that will schedule their arraignment and all other hearings in the afternoon.
The order concludes with this: "The market place will decide the effectiveness of this new system. If afternoon court works for a substantial number of litigants, then the numbers will tell the story."
Rumpole says: this is a long time coming and the date of this order is perfect for its implementation.
See you in court in the afternoon.
Very funny but, we did have afternoon court years ago. Judge Marshall Ader presided.
ReplyDeleteIt was a DUI task force court. It was set up so that the midnight DUI cops could get some sleep. It started at 2:00 pm and went to about 7 pm. I was prosecutor in that court and loved it. It was no place for "morning people."
I'm glad the blog is ending because this April Fools post is lame.
ReplyDeleteSounds "foolish" to me
ReplyDeleteMaybe judge Soto can get the idea from this April Fool's joke post to have afternoon court for night people.
ReplyDeleteHey Rump, you know that for April Fools jokes to work, they have to be somewhat believable . . .
ReplyDeleteYou got me Rump!
ReplyDeleteIf this were real, the way everyone runs on "I'll get there whenever time" to court, then Court will be open 24/7 and Motion Calendars to take Bench Warrants or ACs would triple.
ReplyDeleteSaw the State announce a nolle prose in Broward today. Will the refiled information say "April Fools" on it?
ReplyDeleteFor years I advocated later afternoon and early evening court to accommodate people who worked. Judges Ader and Baxter helped implement the program and it worked well until 9 11 2001 when it was ended with the excuse but they needed to close the courthouse for security reasons after 4:30 pm but it was actually the bean counters who really wanted to save money on personnel costs.
ReplyDelete