Conduct Annual Municipal Court Audits
Annual audits of municipal courts shall be implemented, and municipal courts shall be required to deliver copies of case records and documents to the Office of State Courts Administrator in compliance with audit requests.
Eliminate Sharing of Municipal Files
To limit inappropriate sharing of information, all municipal courts and municipal prosecutors shall maintain separate files.
Clearly Define Municipal Court Procedures
All operating procedures of municipal courts shall be clearly defined and followed, and all staff shall be trained in those procedures.
Formalize and Standardize Court Documenting Procedures
All municipal courts shall explicitly establish formal and uniform systems of documentation and record keeping at every stage of defendants’ court involvement. Whenever possible and appropriate, such documents and records shall be available to defendants.
Train Municipal Court, Jail, and City Government Employees in Constitutional Rights
All municipal court, jail, and city government employees shall receive annual cultural bias training and training on how to protect the constitutional rights of residents and defendants, and how to effectively administer courts. Each employee must sign a written acknowledgement upon completion of training. This training shall ensure that personnel adequately understand that the following…