Court officials open new 'justice stations' in San Juan, McKinley counties
Court officials in northwest New Mexico have opened or plan to open a series of new “justice stations” throughout the region to provide residents with an alternative to traveling to a courthouse.
According to a news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts, the new justice stations are or will be scattered throughout San Juan and McKinley counties and will provide virtual access to magistrate court hearings. Those taking advantage of the program will be able to use easy-to-navigate computers to make remote appearances in magistrate courts in the two counties for such cases as those involving traffic violations, the release states.
The new justice stations already are operational at the Rock Springs Chapter house near Yah-Ta-Hey, the Beclabito Chapter house west of Shiprock, the Octabia Fellin Public Library in Gallup and the Gallup Magistrate Court. By the end of December, the release states, additional justice stations will be available at the Aztec Public Library, the Bloomfield Public Library, the Farmington Public Library and the People Assisting the Homeless shelter in Farmington.
“By using a justice station, people can conduct business with a state court when they have no internet connection at their homes or lack reliable cellular phone service,” Judge Curtis Gurley of the 11th Judicial District stated in the release. “The justice stations offer more convenience for people who otherwise would need to go to Gallup, Farmington or Aztec for a court hearing.”
The program is a collaboration between the 11th Judicial District and the public and tribal entities where the justice stations are located, according to the release. The 11th Judicial District is supplying the computer equipment, software, signage and technical assistance during installation, in addition to maintaining the equipment. The public and tribal entities are responsible for providing the Internet service and space for the stations in their buildings.
The stations can be used for all proceedings in traffic cases and for pretrial hearings in misdemeanor and civil cases in magistrate courts in McKinley and San Juan counties, according to the release. They are not available for domestic violence cases or for hearings in courts located outside McKinley or San Juan counties.
“Justice stations expand access to the justice system to enable people to protect their rights and advocate for their interest if they have a legal problem,” Chief Justice C. Shannon Bacon of the New Mexico Supreme Court stated in the release.
The stations are designed to allow users to connect to a hearing with single touch of the screen on the computer’s monitor or one click of a computer mouse, but users will need to know the date and time of their hearing, as well as the name of the judge presiding over the case, according to the release.
Gurley said it is likely the program could be expanded further in the future.
“Our goal is to establish more justice stations, particularly in rural areas, and expand the types of court business than can conducted at them,” he stated in the release.
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This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: 'Justice stations' allow people to avoid making trips to courthouses
