Suburban and Rural Courts: Their Perspective – How Do We Fairly Allocate Court Resources?

December 19th, 2023, Court Leader’s Advantage Podcast Episode

Brought to You in Cooperation with the National Association for Court Management

The struggle to equitably and effectively allocate court resources is a challenge that faces every state. Everywhere the question is the same: how do you allocate funds fairly to courts of different sizes and may even perform different operations such as having a Treatment Court?

How do you not disadvantage suburban and rural courts when taking into account the size of each court, its caseload, the demand for service, the degree of innovation, the staffing needs of justice partners like the prosecutor, the public defender, probation, and law enforcement, allocation history, and special circumstances?

Additionally, many court budget staffing discussions are not held on a statewide level, they are local discussions where a court might find itself competing with the police, sanitation, or parks and recreation. What do these courts use to convince funding bodies to provide new resources? Add to the mix the specter that some funding bodies (often cities) place their own agenda on courts to be revenue generators. Is the answer a preset formula that with each new judicial position comes a designated number of additional staff? Is there another, possibly a better, methodology? This month we’re going to explore the struggle that suburban and rural courts endure in the competition for new budget resources.

Listen to the December 19, 2023, CLAPodcast Episode on your way to or from work. 32 Minutes 55 Seconds

Watch the December 19, 2023, CLAPodcast Episode on YouTube. 34 minutes 30 seconds

Become Part of the Conversation. Email us at clapodcast@nacmnet.org

Today’s Panel

Angie VanSchoick is the Court Clerk and Town Clerk for the Town of Silverthorne, Colorado. Previously she was Court Administrator with the Town of Breckenridge Municipal Court, a position she held since 2013. In this role, she was responsible for all court operations, including the implementation of policies and procedures, general administration, and jury management.

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.

Danielle Trujillo is the Court Administrator for the Municipal Court in Littleton, Colorado. Danielle 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. She started her career in restorative justice and loves the ability to directly serve her community through local government.

Frank Maiocco is the Court Administrator for the Kitsap County Superior Court. Prior to his appointment in 2004, he served as the Deputy Court Administrator for the Coconino County Superior and Justice Courts in Flagstaff, Arizona; a Trial Court Programs Analyst with the Oregon State Court Administrator’s Office; and, the Office Supervisor in the Kingman (Arizona) Justice Court. Frank is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all non-judicial activities and Superior Court operations in Kitsap County, including administering the Court’s guardian and GAL grievance processes.

Frank serves on the Judicial Information Systems Committee (JISC) and has previously served on the Washington State Court Interpreter Commission, the Superior Court-Case Management System (SC-CMS) Project Steering Committee, and the Data Management Steering Committee. He is a Past President of the Association of Washington Superior Court Administrators (AWSCA). Frank a member of the National Association for Court Management for which he served as Small Court Director from 2001 to 2003. He a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University at Fullerton, and a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California. He is a 2008 Certified Court Executive and Graduate Fellow of the Institute for Court Management, National Center for State Courts.

Stacey L. Fields is the Court Administrator for the City of Crestwood and has worked in the judiciary for 12 years. She has been a member of NACM for 5 years and serves on the Conference Development Committee. She also serves as Vice President of the Metropolitan St. Louis Association for Court Administration (MSLACA) and on the board of the Missouri Association for Court Administration as Professional Development Director.