33rd Circuit Court earns state award for efficiency

BENTON, Mo. -- Courts in Scott and Mississippi counties were recognized for taking care of business in a timely manner.

The O'Toole Award was presented to Circuit Judge David Dolan, who received it on behalf of the 33rd Judicial Circuit, during a special ceremony Friday at the Scott County Courthouse.

"We're doing what we're supposed to do and getting it done," Dolan said.

The award was presented by State Courts administrator Greg Linhares to the 33rd circuit for efficiently managing and processing cases in fiscal year 2011.

This is the first time the 33rd Judicial Circuit has received the O'Toole Award, which is given to recognize circuits that successfully handle cases in a timely manner or hold timely child abuse and neglect hearings.

Dolan said the 33rd circuit was recognized with the award specifically for meeting time standards in juvenile proceedings.

"You don't want to drag juvenile cases out; the longer it takes, the harder it is on them," he said.

Bill Lawson, chief juvenile officer for the circuit, said a 30-day delay may not mean much to an adult "but in the life of a kid who is away from his parents, that's a huge time period."

Lawson said to meet the time standards, it takes everybody involved from the circuit's judges to staff members -- which is why they all gathered for the award's presentation.

"Everybody in the room helped make this happen," he said.

Missouri's case-processing time standards were established in 1997, according to Linhares, with recognition for meeting those standards awarded annually since about that time.

The guidelines are designed as tools to help achieve overall goals of efficiency, productivity and quality of justice, he explained, and have worked well as overall improvements have been seen since the standards were adopted.

The late Judge Daniel O'Toole served as the first chair of the time standards monitoring committee.

"Daniel O'Toole left as his legacy his commitment to an efficient judiciary," Linhares said. "This commitment is crucial -- timely case processing is fundamental to an effective judicial system and to justice itself. The staff and judges in this circuit should be commended for their commitment to providing timely justice to the public."

The 33rd circuit, one of 12 judicial circuits receiving the O'Toole Award for fiscal year 2011, met seven out of 10 standards.

A circuit must achieve at least five of the 10 case-processing time standards and must not be more than 5 percent from achieving the remaining standards to qualify for the award.

Pertinent address:

Benton, Mo.