May 25, 2021

Yesterday we waited 45 minutes , today courtrooms running late

Maybe your life isn't affected but your pocketbook is; the Judges and court administration get paid by you. Attorneys, victims, defendants matter. Their time matters. Transparency matters.

Check out what Governor Gavin Newsom makes and check out the salaries of the local Judges and court management per year.

I would like to commend and thank the California Judicial Council for a prompt response and certain information and procedures. More transparency, respect, professionalism and communication statwide from the California courts and organizations in minutes.

There are attorneys out of the area that deal with Humboldt courts and the constant issues in Humboldt. They cannot just walk into the courthouse.

Instead of things getting better  14 months into the pandemic with the County in a less restrictive tier, Humboldt courts and operations have become worse.

There is no access to the second floor. This isn't a frontline staff issue. It is a management issue. Competent staff having to work alongside Presiding Judge Joyce Hinrichs and Assistant Presiding Judge Gregory Elvine-Kreis' "favorites." 

In private employment, this kind of ineffective leadership, management and issues would result in the loss of job and definitely disciplinary action.  

Three terms for the same Presiding Judge. An assistant Presiding Judge in the middle of two lawsuits is the one next in line? 

You see the other  Judges working all day with jam packed calendars? What are these two doing? Three Judges running around from multiple coutrooms calling calendars. Judge Kelly Neel, Judge Kaleb Cockrum and Judge Christopher Wilson.  The criminal calendars would be a bigger mess if they weren't doing extra work. 

Humboldt and Eureka are a statewide and national embarassment with law enforcement scandals, headlines with local government as well as local courts being chewed out on the apellate level and making national headlines at the apellate level.

Calendars changed last minute. Livestream not on in several courtrooms. One to two Judges gone every week when courts are backlogged. Paying extra for retired and Visiting Judges.  Courtrooms not starting for 20 to 45 minutes. Whether it is waiting for a Judge or livestream, this is now a daily issue. Jail resources impacted because the local courts  want to milk the COVID 19 excuse.

No one seems to have any answers about these constant issues and delays.  Yesterday, the person in charge of court self help had a case and was in the wrong courtroom. This is court staff.  This is how the public is treated by arrogant bureaucrats who think they can do whatever they want.

Livestream turned on late or not at all. If Judges want to be in control of audio and video, then run your courtroom efficiently. You don't get to do whatever you like and thumb your nose at what should be conducted in open court. Some Judges and attorneys just dont bother to turn mics on and this is constant.

Who do some of these Judges, court administration and some of their rude ass pet employees think they are?  Why are they still being paid for constant incompetence? No other local court needed emergency order after order to extend jury trials. Are the interpreter issues and calendar issues related to changes in staff in charge or short staffing? 

No answers, no changes and constant issues. No one else in local government has these many issues during the pandemic or pre pandemic.

Courtroom 4 and Courtroom 8 start on time. They are the two most efficiently run courtrooms. Courtroom 5 has been better in the last couple of weeks. 

No effort made for the media and public to have access to records which could previously be viewed on the second floor. Limited hours and going to the clerk's office does not work. They are even more burdened with the  ineptitude and chaos of the local courts.

5/26: Two days ago, we waited 30 minutes for the 9:15 calendar to. Today, 30 minutes for the 8:30 calendar. Both days Retired Judge John Feeney calling the calendar. 

Another day of multiple cases and jury trials. Once again, we are waiting on defense attorneys in some courtrooms and other courtrooms to open up with the same Judge not around for 20 to 30 minutes. This mish mosh of scheduling regular calendars, then trials in different courtrooms and shuffling Judges around isn't working. More chaos created by the Presiding Judge, Assistant Presiding Judge and court administration. The Presiding Judge and Assistant Presiding Judge calendars are light in comparison to other Judges. What are they doing? This chaos and mess is while they are in charge. 

The same Presiding Judge whose decisions to address the backlog of jury trials pre pandemic and change the way courtrooms are run created delays and now more. 

The lawsuits against the Assistant Presiding Judge are still pending. There is no dispute that he socialized with several people from the Public Defender's office and shouldn't be hearing cases involving these attorneys.. Lives ruined, due process a joke, resources and time wasted due to the Humboldt bro club culture and California's broken court system with no accountability.




No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.