PRESS RELEASE – PUBLIC IS VERY SATISFIED WITH BERRIEN COUNTY TRIAL COURT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Public Is Very Satisfied With the Berrien County Trial Court

Saint Joseph, MI, 1/17/2019– For the fourth year in a row, the Berrien County Trial Court received high marks from the public regarding their experiences with the court. Using a survey that was administered in courts statewide, Berrien County Trial Court asked court users questions about whether it was accessible, timely, and fair, and if they were treated with courtesy and respect by judges and court staff.

“Serving the public is our mission,” says Chief Judge Gary J. Bruce.  “Receiving high marks from those we serve is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our court staff. We will continue to work hard to improve both our efficiency and our service to the citizens of Berrien County and the State of Michigan.”

Highlights from the survey include:

• 93% of court users said they were treated with courtesy and respect by court staff.
• 80% of court users said the way the judge or magistrate handled their case was fair.
• 82% of courts users were able to get their business done in a reasonable amount of time.

“Over the past several years, we have used the feedback from the public satisfaction surveys to drive our organizational goals and objectives,” said Trial Court Administrator, Carrie Smietanka-Haney.  “We have spent a good deal of time reviewing areas where we already excel as well as areas where we could make some improvements.  Our goal is to make each member of the public’s court experience as positive as it can be.”

Developed with input from judges and court administrators statewide and tabulated by the State Court Administrative Office to insure accuracy, the survey enables courts to identify strengths, provide positive feedback to employees, and target areas for improvement. The survey was completed by a range of court users, including parties to cases, attorneys, jurors, and others.

The public satisfaction survey is part of a statewide initiative of the Michigan Supreme Court and the State Court Administrative Office to measure and report on court performance. From 2013 through 2018, over 120,000 surveys were completed in courts throughout Michigan. Visit www.courts.mi.gov for more information.