Dave Renninger, Program Host, opened by sharing his happiness moment.  He said that during the pandemic, he has been happy to continue to be able to serve people through Mobile Meals.  Thank you Dave for helping others in such a meaningful way!  

 

He introduced Judge Lisa Coates who talked with us about court activities during the pandemic.   Dave mentioned that being the mother of three teenagers could prepare her for anything!  She has been a judge at the Stow Municipal Court since 2003.  During that time she has initiated an Under Age Alcohol Drivers' Program and a Mental Health Court Program called STRIDE.  Lisa is a member of the Rotary Club in Cuyahoga Falls!

 

Judge Coates explained that when the pandemic began, the courts were deemed essential, but each court had to decide how to manage their caseloads.  The Ohio Health Department and the Ohio Supreme Court were each providing information as to how courts should operate.  Concurrently, pandemic rules changed restricted laws such as those dealing with evictions and trial rights.  Limits were established regarding courthouse visitors which required a good deal of business to be completed by phone or virtually via computers, ZOOM, etc.  Staff work hours and work places were staggered; many worked from home.  Civil cases came to a standstill. 

 

By summer plexiglass had been installed, even between jurors.  PPE was much more plentiful.  In-person hearings were resumed.  Judge Coates was thankful for the jurors who were willing to serve under pandemic restrictions.  Court staff cleaned constantly.  However, when possible, hearings were managed on ZOOM.  She discussed the difficulty of assessing witnesses on ZOOM and trying to make a judgment about their honesty when the benefit of face-to-face contact was missing.  The court resumed jury trials on March 1, 2021 for those that had been postponed.

 

Judge Coates talked about how she worried about  the people in the STRIDE Program, her mental health court program.  Since they could not have their weekly face-to-face meetings, she called everyone individually each week.  As of March 1, the program meetings have resumed.

 

She has observed the same rise in substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health issues that have been reported nationally.  Now that some of the pandemic restrictions are easing, there has been an increase in crimes and traffic offenses that had slowed during the beginning of the restrictions.  

 

Judge Coates predicts the courts will operate as in the past, although a good bit of business will continue to be done virtually.  For example, when persons from out of the area/Ohio are fined on the turnpike, they will be able to manage their cases virtually, instead of returning for in-person hearings.  She expects more counsel/judge meetings will be conducted virtually.  More prisoners will interact with the court virtually.  The risk of transporting prisoners will be lessened.  

 

She and Chief Film agreed that law enforcement is witnessing an increase in people having weapons under disability.  She specifically cautioned about involvement in any type of road rage incident.  Ignore the idiots on the road!    Cases involving weapons, mental health and substance use have gone from 2-3 per week to 2-3 per day.  Thank you Lisa for sharing your pandemic observations!  And, thank you for warning us about road rage!  Be safe!!