In a state of the Halifax County judicial system report Monday, officials presented commissioners with a mostly upbeat message.
“My team and I wanted to take a little of your time today to thank (you) for all the considerations in helping our courts move forward more efficiently and effectively and to show a few of our efforts to improve our services to the county,” Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Brenda G. Branch said. “When I was last before you we spoke of legal deserts. We have staffing concerns and we've alleviated some of those concerns. We have a new clerk — Lisa Turner — who wanted me to share with you that she is fully staffed and that she is cross training and is in training today as well as some members of her staff for our new eCourts system.”
Branch said the adult recovery court is up and running “and very effective right now.”
She told the board there are new laws which enable officials to not provide bonds for people who are out on probation or current charges until they see a district court judge. The new laws also apply to people who are out on murder charges. “There is no more electronic house arrest for those either.”
The system has ongoing internal efforts such as more court sessions and other means to move cases through. “ … We’ve endeavored to alleviate some of those issues by enacting a court improvement team. This is to build upon what we have already accomplished,” Branch said. “In my role I’ve facilitated meetings and invited people to the table. I’m so, so very proud today that they are here and that they are actively engaged in moving us forward with our courts. We’ve made many, many gains and I’m so very proud. We believe that if we want to change our reputation we must work hard, but we must tell people of the great things that we are doing in our Halifax County courts and this is what we’re beginning to start to do today.”
District attorney
District Attorney Kim G. Scott told the board that since taking office in 2023, total pending cases in the district are down 16 percent. Pending felony cases are down 40.8 percent across the district. “Pending district court criminal and infraction cases are down 9.3 percent and pending district criminal court cases are down as well.”
Notably, Scott said, pending DWI cases are down 35.8 percent. “Specifically, addressing Halifax County cases, there has been a total filing increase across the board of criminal cases by 10 percent as it relates to felony filings. There has been a felony disposition increase of 48.2 percent in Halifax County.”
She said felony pending cases have decreased across the board by 36.4 percent.
Unfortunately, Scott said, “As we talk about numbers, we also have to talk about the increases. Total homicide filings in Halifax County have increased by 50 percent.”
Scott praised her team’s job as it relates to dispositions, an increase of 53.8 percent, adding however, “The increase in the number of filings is traumatic for our county as a whole.”
The DA said, “I am very proud of the work my team has done as it relates to these cases. I am more proud and probably more excited about the work my team continues to do as it relates to the people they encounter.”
She said the staff continues to take a more holistic approach to addressing cases that come before the court. “We continue to prioritize the fact that cases that are in jail need to be addressed before other matters. We have worked closely with building relationships with the leadership team in Halifax County, specifically the sheriff’s office and the jail in prioritizing those matters in the court and beginning jail courts so that we can make sure those cases need to be heard in a more timely manner.”
The staff is also working to triage cases in a more efficient manner “so people aren’t sitting and waiting in jail as long as they were before so that their cases can be resolved.”
Said Scott: “I’m extremely proud of the efforts that we’ve made. One thing I can tell you that I know for certain and everyone that comes behind me will tell you is that our court system is everything but perfect. It is flawed and it continues to have bumps along the way. But when we work together it absolutely works and there is proof and it is shown in the numbers where we continue to be more efficient with our court time, more efficient in the disposition of cases that present themselves to the district attorney’s office, more efficient in our communications and building relationships with the people that sit around the table to make things happen.
“At the end of the day we are one office and we are one cog in the wheel. Working alone doesn’t get it done and I’m extremely proud of the team that is here today with me — representing Halifax County superior and district court because we’ve come together and we’ve made a difference and I’m extremely proud of that.”
