I am eager for the day I can write my column for the judicial branch newsletter without including information on how COVID-19 is effecting our shared mission to bring equal justice to all. I cannot wait for the day we can safely take down all of the Plexiglas shields and leave those pesky masks at home. Sadly, we are not there, yet, and we will begin the new year with many of the same precautions we’ve had in place since 2020.
I had the opportunity to visit courthouses in all of the eight judicial districts this year and observed your ability to successfully work through the masks and Plexiglas to serve the people of your community. I watched you use the new courtroom monitors and sound systems to improve court proceedings. When I interact with people outside the judicial branch, I am proud to point to our many successes as our judges, magistrates, clerks, juvenile court officers, JBIT professionals, judicial specialists, court reporters, administrators, and all of our staff continue to provide the many services that Iowans expect.
I remember when electronic filing was first proposed and an advocate for the project compared a courtroom in the year 2010 to an operating room in the year 2010. He said if you had a time machine and could take a doctor from the early 1900s and drop him into an operating room, he would be at a total loss. But, if you could drop a judge from the early 1800s into an Iowa courtroom he could begin work the moment he landed. Well, you can’t say that anymore. The technology installed in our courtrooms by JBIT would likely befuddle a judge from just 20 years ago. Fortunately, our current judges and court staff have navigated the change to make our courtrooms safer and more efficient.
I have also had an opportunity to observe how the distributive work process pilot programs work successfully in Districts One and Four (my home district). A district’s ability to share work responsibilities between counties just makes sense. It allows for creative collaboration between counties and will allow us to staff clerk’s offices around the state with enough people to safely operate eight hours a day, five days a week even when there is a sickness or emergency. As Bob Gast wrote in his budget letter, “Distributive work processing helped the pilot districts continue to provide quality services during the pandemic by allowing work to be done even if an office had multiple absences due to COVID-19.” That is a big step forward for the judicial branch and I am excited to watch as the improved collaboration is implemented statewide.
With 2021 in the rearview mirror and 2022 straight ahead, it is impossible to predict what challenges or new opportunities may present themselves. There is one thing I know for certain. We have been through a lot…and look at us. We’re standing strong. And ready to overcome any adversity or to embrace any opportunity. Please have a safe and happy holiday.