Lubbock County Judge Ann-Marie Carruth changed the traditional criminal court system by offering new resources for offenders on pending cases.
She introduced Special Saturday Court Settings to open her courtroom on select Saturdays for anyone who cannot make their court appearance during normal business hours.
“Saturday Court is designed for people who have business they need to take care of within the court but for whatever reason are having trouble making it to the traditional Monday through Friday, eight to five sessions,” Carruth said.
These settings will only address certain criminal issues: Class C misdemeanors, pleas, traffic citations, payments, payment arrangements, plea negotiations, show case hearings, and indigency hearings.
This project is in collaboration with nine other county departments, including the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, for security, maintenance for building operations, and compliance for money transactions.
After her experience behind the bench, Carruth said she saw an opportunity to take the traditional court system and add changes to fit the growing city.
“I think we have to be innovative and progressive in order to serve the people who put us here,” Carruth said. “In that situation, if it’s the nurse who’s working a 12-hour shift, or a college student who has an exam on that day and can’t come, we have to balance the needs of the community with the purpose of the court system. So I think we do a good job at that, having something outside of that normal traditional time frame.”
The settings will take place quarterly: May 12, September 8, and November 3, all starting at 9 a.m.
Anyone wanting to learn more information or schedule an appointment can contact Carruth’s office directly at 775-1540.
