LINCOLN — A court clerk in rural Schuyler, Neb., will help process lawsuits filed this year in the big city of Omaha.
The work is part of a Nebraska Supreme Court effort to share court work statewide, thus better using court personnel, according to Chief Justice Mike Heavican.
During his annual State of the Judiciary speech to the Nebraska Legislature on Thursday, Heavican highlighted court initiatives for 2012, including the effort to use court personnel in smaller counties to help ease the workload in the state's largest communities.
There's also a push to designate one employee in rural court districts to oversee the collection of fines and court costs across all counties in that district.
"It is hoped that these projects can serve as models for rural courts and allow us to preserve jobs in communities with fewer needs, while easing the burden of courts which have greater demands on staff time," Heavican told legislators.
Last year, the court completed a project that added Douglas County district and juvenile courts to the computerized, statewide case management system. Now, all counties in the state are on the statewide system.
The court is also pushing for more electronic filing of cases and payment of traffic fines. In December, 63 percent of all civil lawsuits were filed online, saving thousands of dollars in staff expenses, Heavican said.
The court, like all government agencies, has been forced to economize in recent years because of the state's budget crunch.
There was talk of closing some rural courts, but that was avoided by adopting cost-saving measures, Heavican said.
Legislators appear poised to pass a bill this year to transfer a county judge from central Nebraska to Lincoln to ease a growing caseload in Lancaster County.
There is also a proposal this year to increase the salary of judges on the Supreme Court by an as-yet unspecified amount. Judges are now paid $139,270 a year.
Contact the writer:
402-473-9584, paul.hammel@owh.com
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