JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THE PANDEMIC CREATED A
BACKLOG OF CRIMINAL COURT CASES
ACROSS THE STATE BIGGEST CRIMES
IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY COURT.
ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS,
STATE SITS AT A FELONY CASE BAG
LOG, 17,000 CASESES AS OF THIS
WEEK, MILWAUKEE HAS 1600.
CHIEF JUDGE MARY TRIGGIANO IS
GETTING A BOOST FROM 14.5
MILLION DOLLARS AND 50 MILLION
STATEWIDE GOING TO POLICE AND
COURTHOUSES.
JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> HAPPY TO JOIN YOU.
>> HOW BAD IS IT?
SO, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY,
REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE OUR
BACKLOG WASN'T AS BAD AS SOME
PLACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE KNEW IN THE EARLY PART OF THE
PANDEMIC.
BEGINNING PHASE, MARCH, APRIL,
MAY WE NEEDED TO COME BACK AS
QUICKLY, AS E EFFICIENTEDLY AS
WE COULD SO OUR BACKLOG WOULDN'T
EXPAND MORE THAN IT IS TODAY.
WE WORKED REALLY HARD IN THE
BEGINNING EVEN STARTING JURY
TRIALS, SUMMER 2020.
NO ONE ACROSS THE STATE OR
COUNTRY WAS DOING IT.
WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT
A BACKLOG COULD HAVE
CONSEQUENCES.
AND SO I THINK WE ARE BACKLOG IS
GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IT IS GOING DOWN.
WE REALLY NEED THAT EXTRA PUSH,
THAT EXTRA UMPH TO ADDRESS THIS
IN RECORD TIME.
>> DESCRIBE HOW THE PANDEMIC
CONTRIBUTED TO THE BACKLOG.
>> FELONY DIVISION HAS SERIOUS
CASES.
UM, WHAT A JUDGE WANTS TO DO IS
MAKE SURE THEY ARE DISPOSING OF
ENOUGH CASES SO THAT WHEN THEY
GET OTHERS IN, KEEPING A
BALANCE, RIGHT?
WHATEVER GOES OUT COMES IN.
HAVING THE SAME AMOUNT OF CASES
OR TRYING TO REDUCE THAT.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT AND WE
SHUT DOWN, CASES STARTED TO GO
UP.
EACH JUDGE AS ONE-THIRD TO 50%
MORE CASES ON THEIR CALENDAR
THAN THEY DID BEFORE.
THAT CREATES REALLY, PROBLEMS IN
TRYING TO RESOLVE AND DISPOSE OF
CASES OUT THE DOOR.
YOU HAVE THE CRUSH OF CASES
CONSTANTLY ON THE CALENDAR.
>> WHEN YOU HAVE SHORTAGE OF
EMPLOYEES THAT STAFF COURT CASES
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> EVERY STAKEHOLDER IS
EXPERIENCING A LABOR SHORTAGE.
NOT UNLIKE THE HEALTH CARE
INDUSTRY AND OTHER INDUSTRIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHICH MAKES IT PROBLEMATIC
GETTING AT THE BACKLOG WHEN YOU
NEED TO RESOLVE MORE CASES YOU
NEED MORE PEOPLE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
WE ARE WORKING TO BUILD CAPACITY
TO INSURE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
GET THAT BACKLOG DONE IN RECORD
TIME.
>> WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF THESE
BACKLOGS ON DEFENDANTS, VICTIMS
AND COMMUNITY SAFETY?
>> SURE BACKLOG UNTENABLE AND
UNINTENDED AND INTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
YOU HAVE DEFENDANTS MIGHT BE
WAITING IN CUSTODY FOR LENGTHY
PERIODS OF TIME TO HAVE A JUDGE
COME IN FOR A TRIAL.
VICTIMS WAITING FOR THEIR DAY IN
COURT TO RESOLVE A CASE AND WAIT
TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
THAT CAN CAUSE ITS OWN STRESS
AND TRAUMA.
DELAY OF JUSTICE.
IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON
EVERYONE IN THE SYSTEM.
>> HOW WILL YOU USE 14 MILLION
DOLLARS PLUS TO KIND OF RESOLVE
THE BACKLOG?
>> OUR INTENTIONS ARE SEVERAL
FOLD, RIGHT.
WE BELIEVE BASED ON DATA, NUMBER
OF CASES WE CAN RESOLVE IN A
YEAR AND A HALF, WE NEED FIVE
ADDITIONAL COURTS.
WE ARE LOOKING TO SET UP THREE
FELONY COURTS ONE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND ONE MISDEMEANOR
COURT TO ADDRESS THE BACKLOG IN
THOSE DIVISIONS.
WE HAVE TO CREATE FIVE COURTS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO
BE ABLE TO CONDUCT ANY KIND OF
HEARING OR TRIAL TO RESOLVE
CASES AND REDUCE THE BACKLOG.
ALSO LOOKING AT POTENTIAL PILOT
DOING SOME OF OUR CASES IN THE
EVENING HOURS TO TRY TO REDUCE
MISDEMEANOR BACKLOG.
>> SO A NIGHT COURT AND HIRING
BLITZ, I WOULD THINK IF YOU ARE
ALREADY KIND OF DOWN EMPLOYEES.
NOW YOU HAVE TO STAFF FIVE NEW
COURTS.
>> IT IS A HIRING BLITSZ.
MOST OF THE AGENCIES THAT WORK
IN THE COURTS HAVE BEEN TRYING
TO HIRE.
THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY THIS WILL
ALLOW TO CREATE PROJECTS,
SOMEONE MIGHT WANT TO HANDLE
CASES OR SHIFTING BODIES IN
DIFFERENT AREAS TO BE ABLE TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH
CAPACITY TO DO THESE CASES.
>> IN THE COURTHOUSE, HOW
WELCOME ARE THESE COVID-19
RELIEF FUNDS AND NEW COURT?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
PROVIDES SOME LEVEL OF HOPE.
EVERYONE KNOWS WE WANT TO
PROVIDE FAIR, EQUITABLE AND
TIMELY JUSTICE.
BAG LOG -- BACKLOG IS WEIGHING
HEAVY ON EVERYONE.
PROSECUTORS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS,
COURT REPORTERS, ALL PITCHING IN
TO HELP MOVE CASES AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
HAVING THIS INVESTMENT GIVES US
OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE SOME
EQUILIBRIUM TO OUR COURT SYSTEM
SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE JUSTICE
AT A PACE THAT IS REASONABLE.
>> JUDGE, THANKS VERY MUCH.