This is not earth shattering news for attorneys, clients or court staff because it is not unusual for those that deal with it daily. Courtroom Services Division Manager, Ms. Lisa Chapman and her staff deal with last minute changes, accommodating lack of courtrooms with the rights of defendants to have their cases heard in a timely manner.
Take next week for example, there were two preliminary hearings and 4 jury trials scheduled for Monday that I am following and that does not even cover all the cases that are scheduled for the rest of next week. Next week, Courtroom 1 is closed all week and Courtroom 2 until Thursday. Courtroom 4 already has jury selection for a trial that may take until the end of the month or longer. Courtroom 5 is available until end of August. Courtroom 8 is in a jury trial until July 15. Other courtrooms do not hear criminal cases, usually and handle other types of cases.
Today Visiting Judge Bob McNatt went through the jury trials with DDA Wes Keat there for the People.
I will be posting updates on the Kailan Meserve and David Viveiros case once I know what happens Monday morning. The Ronald Young jury trial has been put over for the trial assignment calendar on July 17, to commence July 20. There was a hearing on subpoenaed records on Wednesday and later today, there is may be an ex-parte hearing and I will update after.
The Benjamin Carter case is scheduled for this Monday morning but may be heard in a courtroom in the afternoon. That decision will be made next week.
All these cases have been covered recently on the blog and can be accessed through the search feature if you are not familiar with the cases.
Not enough funding, not a big enough courthouse, due process all are challenges that affect when a case goes to trial. Now if those alleged criminals would only take a break instead of committing five to ten crimes daily, we could actually focus on other issues impacting the community.
We should have 10 judges. We have 7. You see the results.
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