The East Central Judicial District is served by eight judges and two judicial referees. The judges are divided into criminal and civil divisions with four judges assigned to each. The judicial referees continue to hear most juvenile cases, certain categories of domestic relations cases such as child support enforcement, paternity, and small claims cases. In addition to Cass County, a judge routinely travels to Traill County one day per week and to Steele County one day every five weeks to handle the business of the court in those counties.
The district has begun the use of digital recording in some court proceedings, storing the data on a server rather than the former method of cassette tapes. This allows various staff immediate access to the audio record and affords the ability to listen to proceedings without retrieving the tapes. In addition, the system reduces the amount of physical space needed to store the taped record.
The district has also installed an interactive television system. Its initial use was to conduct mental health hearings where patients and/or doctors could testify in court without leaving the State Hospital. This results in a savings of taxpayer dollars by eliminating the cost of transporting patients as well as freeing up additional time for doctors to spend with their patients. The system also allows parties such as attorneys from other areas of the state or expert witnesses from other areas of the country to participate from other ITV locations.
In addition, Cass County has installed an ITV system in its jail and the court now regularly holds arraignments via this system. This provides a clear tax savings as well as increased security by reducing the number of inmates being transported from the jail to the courthouse each day.
In mid-2004, the East Central Judicial District and its sister district, the Southeast Judicial District, were administratively combined to form Administrative Unit 2. Since that time, transitional meetings have been held regularly to address issues of concern as well as define common procedures throughout the unit. Clerk of court transitional meetings have involved the three state-funded clerks, as well as a representative from the county-funded clerks. This group has worked on flowcharting the procedures for different case types as a method to identify and develop common procedures.
In an effort to promote the proper use of the UCIS system, the unit continues to hold clerks meetings on a regular basis. They include hands-on training, discussion of issues relative to case processing and the sharing of information between state-funded clerks and county-funded clerks. The meetings are held in various locations throughout the unit providing clerks an opportunity to observe other work environments and procedures first-hand.
The district strives to meet docket currency standards with the computerized case management system (UCIS) being an important tool in this process. In an effort to promote the proper use of the UCIS system, the clerks of court attend unit-wide meetings on a regular basis. These meetings include hands-on training, discussion of issues relative to case processing and the sharing of information between state-funded clerks and county-funded clerks within the unit.
Juvenile Court
Juvenile court staff located in Cass County meets the needs of the entire district. They continue to operate a juvenile drug court program. In 2004, nineteen youth participated in drug court; three successfully graduated and nine were terminated for non-compliance.
The juvenile court staff have also begun having unit-wide meetings. Topics addressed at these meetings have included the development of common case processing procedures as well as policies related to the use of state-wide tools such as the Youth Assessment Scoring Instrument (YASI). YASI, a survey completed with juvenile offenders on probation, assists staff in implementing Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ).
Strength-based programming continues to be actively pursuing the addition of Life Management which is designed to assist youth in making intelligent decisions. Programs which have shown positive results are being expanded into the more rural areas where possible, including the Southeast Judicial District, in an effort to provide more uniform services throughout the unit.
District Court Judges: John T. Paulson, Presiding Judge; James M. Bekken; Ronald E. Goodman; John E.. Greenwood; Richard W.. Grosz; and Mikal Simonson.
Number of Counties in District: 11
District Court Chambers: Valley City, Jamestown, New Rockford, Ellendale, and Wahpeton.
Case Filings/ Dispositions | 2003 (F) (D) | 2004 (F) (D) | Civil Small Claims Admin Traffic Criminal Juvenile | 3,534 931 15,900 4,777 234 | 4,566 970 15,892 5,569 331 | 3,598 795 17,067 4,985 236 | 2,099 331 6,303 2,868 196 |
District Court
The Southeast Judicial District is served by six judges who are located throughout the eleven county district. There are five chamber cities which serve the citizens based on geography and population. The New Rockford chamber serves the northern portion of the district. The Ellendale and Wahpeton chambers serve the southern portion of the district. The center portion of the district is served by the Jamestown chamber and the two-judge chamber in Valley City. Judges are assigned to cover other cases outside their area of concentration as the need arises. The district has approximately 50 personnel, including county clerks.
The district has continued the use of interactive television for mental health hearings in Stutsman County. The system allows patients and/or doctors to testify in court without leaving the State Hospital, saving taxpayer dollars by eliminating the cost of transporting patients as well as freeing up additional time for doctors to spend with their patients. The system also allows parties such as attorneys from other areas of the state or expert witnesses from other areas of the country to participate from other ITV locations.
The Southeast Judicial District has maintained its commitment to collecting fines and fees in criminal cases. In addition, the district strives to meet docket currency standards with the computerized case management system (UCIS) being an important tool in this process.
In mid-2004, the Southeast Judicial District and its sister district, the East Central Judicial District, were administratively combined to form Administrative Unit 2. Since that time, transitional meetings have been held regularly to address issues of concern as well as define common procedures throughout the unit. Clerk of court transitional meetings have involved the three state-funded clerks as well as a representative from the county-funded clerks. This group has worked on flowcharting the procedures for different case types as a method to identify and develop common procedures.
In an effort to promote the proper use of the UCIS system, the unit continues to hold clerks meetings on a regular basis. They include hands-on training, discussion of issues relative to case processing and the sharing of information between state-funded clerks and county-funded clerks. The meetings are held in various locations throughout the unit providing clerks an opportunity to observe other work environments and procedures first-hand.
Juvenile Court
Juvenile court offices in the Southeast Judicial District are located in Wahpeton, Valley City, and Jamestown. Each office consists of a juvenile court officer III who conducts informal adjustment hearings, a juvenile court officer II who oversees youth on probation, and a secretary.
The juvenile court has also begun having unit-wide meetings. Topics addressed at these meetings have included the development of common case processing procedures as well as policies related to the use of state-wide tools such as the Youth Assessment Scoring Instrument (YASI). YASI, a survey completed with juvenile offenders on probation, assists staff in implementing Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ).
Other programs being used in the Southeast district include HALT (for alcohol offenders); Community Service; Youthworks, an early intervention/diversion program for unruly juveniles; Keys to Innervisions and Life Management, programs to develop better cognitive thinking skills; and Day Reporting.
The juvenile court continues to use CMS, an electronic records management program.