Justice Court Consolidation Feasibility Study
Laberge Group was retained by St Lawrence County and the Towns of Edwards, Hermon, and Russell to study the feasibility of consolidating justice court functions. Funded by a grant from the NYS Department of State, Local Government Efficiency (LGE) grant program, this study provided assistance to government officials and the public in determining the feasibility of consolidating functions and/or facilities and discovering potential future cost savings as well as the most beneficial relationship to serve each community’s justice court needs.
The study helped the Towns of Edwards, Hermon, and Russell to gain a better understanding of their common interests and how they can together provide essential court functions while, maintaining the quality of life for their respective communities, by examining restructuring options that improve the court environment and create efficiencies.
In order to determine feasible shared service and court restructuring options, Laberge Group examined local justice court issues and conditions, gathered information about specific costs and operations, and discussed the needs of the courts with town officials and justices. The study resulted in the following options for reconfiguring staff and/or facilities:
- Co-location of Justice Court facilities.
- Creation of a Regional Justice Court.
- Creation of a shared Court Clerk.
- Coordinated court scheduling.