Local Judge Works To Update Courtroom Standards

New courtroom security standards across the Volunteer state will better protect citizens and court officials alike.

That’s according to 13th District Circuit Court Judge Amy Hollars. The Livingston-based judge one of eight members statewide of the Tennessee Judicial Conference Security Committee. The group began its work after three security issues in Tennessee courthouses last year.

The most serious happened in Coffee County last June as two deputies were injured and a suspect was killed.

Standards had not been updated since the 1990s.

“I think as judges, we are acutely aware that these events are occurring, thankfully not so much in our state,” Hollars said. “We feel an acute responsibility to safeguard not only the people who are in the courtroom on a regular basis, but we want to try to address the safety issues of anyone who’s coming in the courthouse.”

The Legislature approved $2 million in grants that counties could use to improve security. Nearly half of the counties statewide did not meet minimum standards. But through the grant program, a total of 66 counties received funding.

Among the upgrades, silent panic buttons in the clerk of court offices.

“Very often, especially in our rural areas, people can go directly to the clerk’s office without any screening whatsoever,” Hollars said. “That left those people exposed.”

Panic buttons on the judge’s bench have been standard procedure, but Hollars said many smaller counties did not have operational systems in place. Counties used the grant money to fix that problem.

In many cases, Hollars said the counties simply had outdated technology, such as old scanning and camera equipment.

New standards also include hand-held detectors and/or magnetometers in each county, hand-held security mirrors to look under seating, and signage advising citizens they could be searched.

Training will also be a part of the updates for courtroom personnel. Hollars said the committee would also like local lawyers to attend the training.

“The committee thought everyone needs a refresher on just safety steps,” Hollars said. “Items we need to do if there’s an event in the courthouse of the courtroom.”

Hollars said the counties in the 13th district including Clay, Cumberland, Dekalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White, worked hard to get grant money for their courtrooms.

“Those smaller counties have a great need for these funds,” Hollars said. “They were very active.”

The state paid for 90 percent of the upgrades while local governments paid the other ten percent.