by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Workspace: Fourth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk
Quite a bit has changed at the Public Defenders Office since Matt Shirk was sworn in last January.
“Now that things have settled down we can get to the business of fulfilling my campaign promises,” said Shirk.
One of the most major changes, he said, is that the Public Defenders Office is taking advantage of new technology in terms of documents. The office’s IT staff is preparing laptop computers that when fully phased in will allow public defenders to access files in the courtroom and the law library has gone “electronic.”
Shirk said even more changes are in the works for how the office handles documents.
“Our goal is to eventually be completely paperless. We buy $20,000 worth of paper every six months. I could hire another attorney for what paper costs us each year,” said Shirk.
There’s also a new telephone access system and a new Web site with a way to monitor the progress of cases on-line. The combination improves the level of service and makes the office run more efficiently, said Shirk.
“The case tracking system gives our clients and the public access to our records. We’ve been able to greatly reduce the hold time on our phone system as well. Our telephone operators also do other jobs so the less time they have to spend on the phone the more time they have to do other things,” he added.
Shirk also said the office is trying about 70 percent more cases than a year ago and the acquittal percentage is up from 12 percent to more than 30 percent.
With the new County Courthouse scheduled to be ready to occupy in May, 2012 the Public Defenders Office recently renewed its lease on the building at the corner of Market and Forsyth streets. As part of the three-year agreement with an option for a fourth year, the property owner agreed to make some improvements to the office space including new carpet and a new paint job throughout. Shirk said the office hasn’t been refurbished in 15 years.
“It was time and everyone is getting a new workspace,” he added. “And with the cost being absorbed by the property owner there is zero cost to the taxpayers.”
Shirk said he and everyone who works in the office is looking forward to the day when all the new paint is on the wall and 27 pallets of carpet squares have been installed on the floors.
“It’s just like any other renovation project – we just can’t wait until it’s over,” said Shirk.
356-2466