All travelers know the value of experiencing a new culture and a different way of life—even for a brief moment. Getting away can provide perspective. It’s the reason Tippecanoe Superior Court IV Judge Greg Donat arranges for his staff to take a trip to another county court a few times a year. “It broadens our perspective,” explained Judge Donat. It does wonders in terms of morale, it allows for job training, and it reaffirms our commitment to the mission of the courts.”
Judge Donat started the court “field trips” about ten years ago after attending a training offered by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. He found it helpful and was disappointed when the training was discontinued. He decided he could arrange a similar program that would allow his staff to learn how other courts do business.
“A few months a year there is a fifth Wednesday on the calendar. That is a good scheduling opportunity for us to catch-up with work or to take a trip to see another court,” he said. Judge Donat tries to arrange the trip with a high volume court in a county that shares Tippecanoe County demographics.
The boost in morale is important to Judge Donat. “ I’ve gone with the staff and sometimes they go without me,” he explained. “When you work side-by-side with someone every day, little irritations can become an issue. By spending a day talking, observing another court and having lunch together those irritations can seem insignificant and get people into a better frame of mind.”
Staff members agree with the logic. The common “Are we there yet?” sentiment doesn’t plague the Superior Court IV road trips. Chief Reporter Debbie Tague says the trips allow her to feel refreshed. “You can get into a rut and just need a new perspective. The trips allow us to meet new people that we have something in common with and allow us to exchange ideas.”
“It is good to see how other courts do business. When you see their process up-close you may realize it is a way to streamline things.”
The exchange of ideas is one of the most significant reasons Judge Donat feels the trips are valuable. “It is good to see how other courts do business. When you see their process up-close you may realize it is a way to streamline things.” A recent trip to Michigan City showed Tague the efficiency of a check-in kiosk. “Their probation office had a kiosk where clients could sign-in outside the hall. That information was then transmitted to the staff. That would be a nice system to implement in the future,” she noted.
Judge Donat is pleased when staff brings back an idea or reevaluates how a job is being done. “If there is a Supreme Court rule on something, we follow that rule. But there is a lot of discretion in what we do. It can be a problem if you approach business as ‘we were trained that way,’ and assume it always has to be done that way.”
La Porte Superior Court IV Magistrate Greta Friedman welcomed Judge Donat’s staff to her courtroom for a recent trip. Friedman believes her staff also benefited from the exchange. “They had a sense of relief when they heard a problem they have is also happening 100 miles away. The staff can talk about how to handle it and about what works best. They really enjoyed that.”
Some of the discussion centered on the high number of self-represented litigants. As Chairman of the Committee on Self-Represented Litigants, Judge Donat is especially in tune with the issues surrounding self-representation. “The first person you see when you come to the courthouse is a clerk. It is often the newest staff member who has the most difficult job at the desk. If you’re on the front desk doing a job you have not been trained to do it can be a horrible situation.”
Magistrate Friedman agrees it is crucial to give staff the resources to “help them cope with what can be exasperating situations with the public.” She said, “The staff has a great deal of knowledge from the school of hard knocks. They get difficult questions from people when they are at their very worst.” Friedman believes ongoing training is important to ensure staff can handle trying encounters. “Most people’s natural inclination is to help. However, there are limits to that and if you are not trained well, you can go too far and end up in a difficult situation for everybody. It’s valuable to know the limits and to know legally what staff can and cannot do.” Talking about those scenarios is a good training method.
The exchange was so valuable Magistrate Friedman is planning to take her La Porte staff to Tippecanoe County. “Every time I go to a different court and see how a different judge approaches a situation it is worthwhile. Occasionally I find something that rubs me the wrong way and I walk away saying ‘I would never do that.’ But usually I find something that I will add to my approach.” Friedman is confident her staff will take away valuable experiences as well. “Why re-invent the wheel?”
Judge Donat offers the follow suggestions to other courts considering a similar exchange. First, he says you will always feel too busy to take the trip. “We’re a busy court and we still do it. It goes on the calendar and it is no worse than taking a snow day. You just have to plan it out.” Second, he recommends finding a court with a similar caseload. “While there is value is seeing an entirely different operation, I think it is more helpful to get to know judges and staff with a similar caseload.” Finally, he says don’t get wrapped-up in developing a highly organized agenda and only visiting on the perfect day. “Just go to see their operation. Maybe it is a busy day, maybe it’s not. Either way you will take something new from the experience.”