Local Courts: Their Complex Issues and How Are They Solving Them?

Welcome to a bonus episode on how local courts are facing and solving their many complex issues.  As mentioned in last week’s episode, these local suburban and rural jurisdictions are very often the representative of the judicial branch in much of America.  We are continuing our conversation with clerks of court and court administrators from one and two judge courts around the country.  We are chatting about the current issues facing local courts including automated case management systems, teleconferencing, telework, and training in smaller jurisdictions. How are these courts managing those issues, and what advice they have for the rest of us?

Saundra Berry has served as Cleveland Heights Municipal Court clerk of courts since 2007. She is also a member of the University Heights City Council. Prior to that, she worked as director of Cleveland scholarship and tutoring for the Ohio Department of Education.  Previously, Saundra served as treasurer for the campaigns of U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge and late U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones.  Saundra is a former math teacher and is a certified public accountant. From 1983 to 1999, she served as a Cleveland Municipal School District auditor. She earned a master’s degree in business administration from Atlanta University and a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Central State University.

Lindsey Forshee is the Superior Court Administrator for the Tifton Judicial Circuit encompassing four counties in South Georgia. As Superior Court Administrator, she oversees both criminal and civil cases in four counties. She handles media relations for capital and high profile cases. Currently, she is working on the Tara Grinstead case that gained national attention after being featured in the popular podcast “UP AND VANISHED”. Lindsey graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management in May 2018. Lindsey is active in the Tifton community as a member of the Arts Council and served as the Regional Coordinator for the Georgia Bar High School Mock Trial competition.

Kelly Elliott has been the court administrator for the Lee’s Summit Municipal Division 243/263 since 2011 and has more than 39 years of experience in the court and legal field. Kelly works alongside two elected judges and directly supervises ten court employees, including two probation officers and court security. As an employee of the City of Lee’s Summit, Kelly serves on various committees, including Employee Engagement, ITS Service Coordinator, and Website Design.

Throughout the course of the day, Kelly can be found handling the administration of the municipal divisions, conferring with the judges about legislative and court rule changes, collaborating with City Administration regarding the court budget and personnel, and supervising the court security program. 

Danielle Trujillo is an innovative public safety professional with an exceptional ability to research and analyze complex issues and provide actionable conclusions.  Through problem solving and critical thinking she utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to bridge gaps in information and processes. Danielle started her career in restorative justice and love the ability to directly serve my community through local government.

Angie VanSchoick is the Court Administrator with the Town of Breckenridge Municipal Court, a position she has held since 2013. In this role, she is responsible for all court operations, including the implementation of policies and procedures, general administration, and jury management. Over the past five years, she has expanded her court presence to include serving on the Board of the Colorado Association for Municipal Court Administration (CAMCA). She is the immediate Past President of CAMCA and currently serves as its Treasurer, in addition to maintaining their website, serving as a trainer, and providing general oversight.

Angie is a licensed macro level social worker in the State of Colorado and Michigan, receiving her MSW from the University of Michigan in 2007. Her focus was on Policy, Evaluation, Community Organization, and Community Social Systems, which has provided her with a solid background to assist her Court and CAMCA. As a lifelong learner, she welcomes opportunities to expand her knowledge and knows that serving as a NACM Director will assist in that expansion.