Marion County — Fans of the classic television show Night Court may remember its humorous late-night courtroom chaos, but Marion County’s new “Night Court” initiative is focused on something far more practical: improving access to justice.
This summer, the Marion County Justice Court will begin offering select evening court sessions entirely online as part of a new pilot program designed to help residents who may have difficulty attending court during normal business hours.
The program will operate a limited number of evenings each month and will include certain traffic trials along with an ex parte docket, allowing individuals to petition the court during evening hours.
“Access to justice means making the justice system accessible to the people we serve,” said Judge Justin Kidd. “For many people, taking time off work to appear in court can be difficult or financially burdensome. Offering online evening proceedings gives community members another option that is both practical and convenient.”
Court officials say the evening schedule could also help law enforcement officers, especially those working overnight shifts, by providing more flexibility for court appearances.
The idea for the program emerged during a recent remodel of the Marion County Justice Court building. While renovations were underway, the court operated exclusively through virtual trials for approximately one month. According to court officials, both customers and law enforcement personnel responded positively to the flexibility and accessibility of the online format.
Judge Kidd said the experience demonstrated that virtual proceedings could effectively extend court operations beyond regular business hours while also reducing staffing requirements.
“It was an epiphany,” Kidd said. “For safety and operations reasons, I need at least four clerks, plus a judge and a security person, to hold a trial while the building is open. But when the building is closed, I can run a trial with just one judge and one clerk.”
Officials say the reduced staffing needs make the online evening court sessions a cost-effective way to broaden public access to the judicial system.
As part of the program’s rollout, the Marion County Justice Court will also begin accepting applications for a paid pro-tem judge position to assist with the Night Court docket. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Judge Kidd to learn more about the pro-tem process.
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