21st Century Jury System & Pay
It is shameful that the citizens of this city are subject to a $15-a-day stipend for an all-day process that often times forces hard-working citizens to miss an entire day at work and have to make other arrangements for their children’s daycare or after-school pick-up.
As the next Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, I will work with city and state leaders to double the daily stipend issued to jurors, going from $15 to $30 a day, as the current level of payment barely pays for parking in downtown Baltimore, let alone trying to purchase lunch or pay for gas/public transit.
We also must implement a new juror selection process, eliminating the current antiquated system that leaves people more puzzled and perplexed than assured of if and when they should appear. A 21st century computer operating system will help address and replace this system.
21st Century Technology
Currently, the Baltimore City Circuit Court is one of the only remaining courthouses still operating off of a 20th century operating system. Judges are still issuing prison sentences, warrant requests and court orders via carbon copied paperwork, issued IBM laptops to work off of, which looks to have been discontinued fifteen years ago.
As the next Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, I will reverse that trend on Day One, working with the state to ensure that the city’s circuit courthouses are upgraded with the latest technology available, while enabling the citizens to better access our services online. Whether it be checking in to see if they are going to be called for jury duty the next day, looking to file paperwork for child custody or other civil action, paying court costs or for other city services; we will be outfitted with 21st century technology within the first year of my tenure.
Read more of my vision
HERE...
21st Century Court Complex
It’s time Baltimore City catches up with the rest of the surrounding jurisdictions around the State of Maryland and built a 21st century court complex that the citizens of Baltimore can be proud of. We can no longer allow for our citizens, jurists or courthouse employees to be subject to the kind of deplorable conditions that currently exist at both the Clarence Mitchell Courthouse, as well as the Old Post Office building.
As the next Clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, I plan to pursue a vision that enables us to work with city and state lawmakers to secure the necessary money, and designated plot of land, to begin construction on a new Charm City Court Complex, complete with 21st century technology, improved security measures for our citizens, judges and courthouse employees, as well as state-of-the-art court rooms and work spaces.