Rep. Olsen "Rides Along" at Green Lake County Courthouse

Madison, Wisconsin - December 22, 2000

Representative Luther S. Olsen, R-Berlin, "rode along" with Judge William "Mike" McMonigal, Green Lake County Circuit Court, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, getting a bird's eye view of a typical day's docket.

From the jury box, Olsen watched a morning of miscellaneous criminal matters such as pleas and preliminary hearings, and an afternoon of civil matters such as the commitment to institutional care of a person with Alzheimer's disease, a drunk driving matter, a probate case, and a divorce.

Olsen said the number of individuals representing themselves in court concerned him. "One of the things that I was surprised at was how many people appeared in front of Judge McMonigal without any counsel," he said. "Some of them really needed counsel." Because eligibility for a state public defender is currently set at the 1982 eligibility standards for Aid to Families with Dependent Children, courts increasingly are seeing people who have too many assets to qualify for a public defender, but too few to afford to hire an attorney. In many instances, judges are forced to appoint counsel where the eligibility standards fall short, putting a burden on the county and the property taxes for that particular county.

A report released this week entitled Pro Se Litigation/Meeting the Needs of Self-Represented Litigants in Wisconsin identifies potential methods for addressing this issue and discusses actions that the court system might take. The report was presented to Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson by a multi-disciplinary working group that studied the problem and solutions that have been developed around the country. The report is available under "What's New" on the Wisconsin court system Web site at www.courts.state.wi.us.

The Judicial Ride-Along Program was begun by the Director of State Courts Office in 1993 to improve communication between the legislature and the judiciary.

In 1993 and 1994, more than 70 percent of state legislators "rode" with judges in their districts. Most expressed in follow-up questionnaires that the experience was worthwhile, especially because of the unique opportunity it provides to view proceedings from the bench and to discuss the impact of various legislation on the delivery of justice. In 1994 and 1995, the program was expanded to county board supervisors and selected media representatives. Olsen first "rode" in 1995, shortly after taking office.

"Rides" are now offered on a continual basis to new legislators and to veteran lawmakers who want to see firsthand how the courts in their districts are operating.

For more information contact:
Amanda Todd
Court Information Officer
(608) 264-6256

Back to top

Back to headlines archive 2000