21. Office Hours

21. Office Hours

   Service offices of the county courts, the probation offices, and the offices of the Supreme Court which require public access, e.g., the Library, the Clerk's office, and the Administrative Office, shall be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Saturdays, Sundays, days on which a specifically designated court is closed by order of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and holidays. Such days shall be designated as non-judicial days.  There may be other times when the offices are ordered closed due to special circumstances. Offices of less than three employees may be closed for 1 hour at noon. Local courthouse hours may prevail with approval of the Administrative Office.

   When an alternative office-hour schedule has been approved or required by the Supreme Court, the following process shall be followed:

   1. That county court shall post the court hours in a prominent location within the courthouse;

   2. A voicemail system shall inform callers where a judge or court employee may be reached in case of an emergency; and

   3. The county judge shall give written authority to a person or persons within the same courthouse to accept filings during the hours the county court is closed but the courthouse is open.

   Requests for alternative schedules shall be sent in writing to the Administrative Office. In the event of a reduced schedule, the salaries of employees of the office will be adjusted on a pro rata basis.

   Probation officers are required to have scheduled activities of at least 40 hours each week. Since it is necessary for some officers to work additional hours, some degree of flexibility is allowed in working schedules. Probation officers are expected to keep their immediate supervisor informed as to their whereabouts and general activities.

Amended 7-16-03; amended 7-9-15.