Fairfield County Common Pleas court personnel are keeping staffers safer, court services open, and the public informed during this coronavirus crisis.

Fairfield County Common Pleas court personnel are keeping staffers safer, court services open, and the public informed during this coronavirus crisis.

As concerns about the coronavirus surfaced in Ohio weeks ago, some courts were ahead of the curve, altering operations to remain open, while ensuring maximum safety for its personnel and citizens.

At the Fairfield County Common Pleas Court, judges, administrator Jill Boone, and clerk of courts Branden Meyer reduced on-site staff and implemented protocols for maintaining essential functions with limited contact among employees and the public.

They did so prior to the Ohio Department of Health’s stay-at-home order and after Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor issued the Judicial Guide to Public Health to all courts and judges in January, followed up by additional chief justice guidance to courts two weeks ago.

“Officials met, and we immediately put together three different plans, including one with a possible stay-at-home order. When the order was issued, we were prepared, and ready to act,” Meyer said.

Typically, the court and clerk’s office has approximately two dozen people at the Fairfield County Hall of Justice. Currently, it’s about 20% of that to accommodate the court’s operating hours from 8 a.m. to noon, which can fluctuate depending on the volume of pleadings and filings. The rest of the staff works from home. Recent teleconferencing upgrades have enabled the court to facilitate most types of hearings. Previously, the court was limited to cases involving protection orders and judicial releases.

In collaboration with Judges Richard Berens and David Trimmer, Boone, who’s also a magistrate, is constantly evaluating and updating procedures as more guidance comes from Chief Justice O’Connor and Gov. Mike DeWine.

She noted that many times, plans put together over the course of hours become outdated within a day or two.

“We have an obligation to at least try it,” Boone said. “You can’t not try because it’s going to be difficult. That is our role as leadership in the judiciary in order to protect those we serve and those we work with.”

The communication and introduction of procedures is shared with several legal entities, such as the prosecutor’s office, court-appointed attorneys, and the local bar association.

Other partners include county administrators and law enforcement, including the sheriff’s office, which operates the jail. Once all stakeholders are aware of upcoming changes, both the court and clerk of court update the public through their websites, social media, and traditional media.

“I’ve always been of the mindset that communication causes, and can solve, 90% of problems. Everyone feels better when they’re in the loop,” Boone said.

As the court continues to handle matters with a skeleton staff on site, Boone anticipates an inevitable workload surge when the pandemic passes. On top of catching up on weeks – and maybe months – of continued cases, she suspects a large spike of filings from people who have waited to resolve non-urgent matters. Sensing what lies ahead, the health and well-being of her colleagues is paramount, both personally, and professionally.

“The court and justice functions only as well as the people who carry it out. If we lose them, we have nothing,” Boone said.