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Those seeking help by phone or in person at the Dedham District Court have less access to clerks as of Monday, Jan. 30. On that day, the Supreme Judicial Court authorized the Dedham court to eliminate clerk office hours between 1:30 to 3 p.m. on weekdays.
Previously, office hours had been continuous from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sal Paterna, clerk magistrate for the Dedham District Court, initially held off on reducing office hours in September, when 35 other courts were permitted to do so, but he changed his mind after considering the immense backlog of case work yet to be completed.
“We’re getting swamped with work with a very limited staff and there’s no way I can keep the office open all the time,” Paterna said Monday, Jan. 30.
Clerical staff at the Dedham District Court is less than half of what it was in recent years, according to Paterna. He used to have a staff of 10 in the criminal division, 10 in the civil division and four in courtrooms. Today he has four staff in each of the criminal and civil offices and two in the courtrooms.
Overall, the trial court system has lost 1,270 people since a hiring freeze was put in place in 2007, a 16 percent reduction, according to a news release distributed on Friday, Jan. 27.
At the same time, the caseload has increased, Paterna said.
While the office will technically be closed, the staff will still be working and available for emergency matters, according to Paterna.
Court hearings will not be affected, and neither will the Mass. Emergency Judicial Response System, which allows domestic violence victims to seek court protection against their offender when courts are closed, according to the release.
Quincy District Court also reduced its hours beginning Monday.
Paterna said the change was temporary, but did not know when those office hours would be restored. He added that lifting the hiring freeze would alleviate the problems, but the Mass. State Legislature has not provided a budget that would allow that.
Dedham District Court has jurisdiction over the towns of Dedham, Dover, Medfield, Needham, Norwood, Wellesley and Westwood.
Staff writer Dave Eisenstadter can be reached at 781-433-8336 or deisenstadter@wickedlocal.com.
Those seeking help by phone or in person at the Dedham District Court have less access to clerks as of Monday, Jan. 30. On that day, the Supreme Judicial Court authorized the Dedham court to eliminate clerk office hours between 1:30 to 3 p.m. on weekdays.
Previously, office hours had been continuous from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sal Paterna, clerk magistrate for the Dedham District Court, initially held off on reducing office hours in September, when 35 other courts were permitted to do so, but he changed his mind after considering the immense backlog of case work yet to be completed.
“We’re getting swamped with work with a very limited staff and there’s no way I can keep the office open all the time,” Paterna said Monday, Jan. 30.
Clerical staff at the Dedham District Court is less than half of what it was in recent years, according to Paterna. He used to have a staff of 10 in the criminal division, 10 in the civil division and four in courtrooms. Today he has four staff in each of the criminal and civil offices and two in the courtrooms.
Overall, the trial court system has lost 1,270 people since a hiring freeze was put in place in 2007, a 16 percent reduction, according to a news release distributed on Friday, Jan. 27.
At the same time, the caseload has increased, Paterna said.
While the office will technically be closed, the staff will still be working and available for emergency matters, according to Paterna.
Court hearings will not be affected, and neither will the Mass. Emergency Judicial Response System, which allows domestic violence victims to seek court protection against their offender when courts are closed, according to the release.
Quincy District Court also reduced its hours beginning Monday.
Paterna said the change was temporary, but did not know when those office hours would be restored. He added that lifting the hiring freeze would alleviate the problems, but the Mass. State Legislature has not provided a budget that would allow that.
Dedham District Court has jurisdiction over the towns of Dedham, Dover, Medfield, Needham, Norwood, Wellesley and Westwood.
Staff writer Dave Eisenstadter can be reached at 781-433-8336 or deisenstadter@wickedlocal.com.
