THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603220188
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
It doesn't matter who was inept, who was careless or who didn't keep up with the work, the buck stops with Circuit Court Clerk Walter ``Square'' Edmonds.
Edmonds is paid big bucks - $87,402 annually - to make sure the office runs efficiently and that court records are accurately recorded and filed.
It doesn't matter if there's one case or 100 cases dismissed or continued because of errors in the clerk's office. As Judge Von Piersall was quoted as saying, ``If it happens once, it's too much.''
Edmonds defended himself by saying he can't look at every file that goes through the office. That might be true, but he can look at every item that causes a problem and deal accordingly with the employee who made the error.
He blamed one person for the cases that appear to be backlogged but, in fact, simply have not been closed out. If that person is not gone from the office by now, Edmonds should at least have that person on probation and under careful scrutiny.
A Virginia Supreme Court official conducting a review of the office here has said he found papers from court files on the floor instead of in case file folders.
The state examiner also cited problems with case processing, staff training and office procedures for providing access to case files. Edmonds does not have to look at every case to know about these inadequacies.
Edmonds, 62, was elected to a third eight-year term in 1995. He is a nice man and a good politician; however, that is not enough in a city where serious crime is a problem.
He is the administrator of an important office and he must be held accountable for its failings. by CNB