Courtroom decorum and dress
All parties are expected to wear appropriate attire in the courtroom. Parties who are not dressed appropriately may have their case rescheduled to another day to allow them to come to court in proper attire. You are expected to behave appropriately and respectfully while in the courtroom and while in the waiting area.
Children and other people
Your children and people who may accompany you to court are not allowed in the courtroom during your hearing, unless being called as a witness during trial. If your child(ren) will be needed to participate in your trial for an interview, you will know the date and time in advance.
Hearing procedure
On the day and time of your hearing, upon your arrival at court, you must proceed to my courtroom (39 on the 3rd floor) and check in with the court officer. If you are represented by an attorney, please inform the court officer. It is very important to be timely for your scheduled hearing time. If you are more than 30 minutes late for a morning hearing, your complaint or motion may be dismissed or the other party’s complaint or motion may be heard without you present. If your case is scheduled for an afternoon trial, we will wait no more than 15 minutes for all parties and counsel to arrive before trial starts.
Service
It is your responsibility to ensure that all parties to your case are served with your complaint or motion(s) at least 7 days prior to the scheduled hearing date. You may check service on your case prior to your hearing date by contacting the Franklin County Clerk of Court Juvenile Division office. Without proper service, your case will not go forward until all parties are served.
Cell phones and other recording devices
Use of cell phones and other recording devices in the courtroom is prohibited.
Communication with the magistrate
If you have a question regarding your case and its status, please call or email my court officer. I do not communicate regarding cases by email or telephone communication with parties or counsel.