Service Center and Violations Bureau Advisory Committee

Type: Standing Committee
Established: January 30, 2013
Revised: November 18, 2019; August 4, 2021
Chair: John T. Smith, Service Center Manager
Report date: Annually, August 1
Reports to
: Chief Justice, Trial Court Chiefs, and the State Court Administrator

Introduction

The Judicial Branch Service Center (SC) was established to centralize certain functions in order to divert work from clerks’ offices, thereby allowing clerks to focus on other priority tasks.  The Judicial Branch intends to expand statewide and provide additional centralized services.  The SC includes the Violations Bureau (VB), which has jurisdiction over all traffic infractions in Maine.  The VB processes revenue collected, schedules cases for defendants who contest violations, and communicates with the Secretary of State’s Office regarding convictions and license suspensions.  The Service Center and Violations Bureau Advisory Committee is established to provide general oversight, strategic guidance, and assistance to the Service Center and Violations Bureau.

Duties

 The Committee provides general oversight and strategic guidance in reviewing the activities of the Service Center and Violations Bureau.  The Committee’s duties are as follows:

    • Serves as resource and provides direction to the Service Center Manager on policy and procedure.
    • Identifies opportunities for the enhanced operation of the SC and VB
    • Assists in developing improved technology solutions, hardware, and software requirements
    • Serves as advocates in the development of the Judicial Branch budget and assists in identifying available grant funds
    • Develops recommendations to the Chiefs and others in support of the mission of the SC and VB
    • Plans for possible SC expansion
    • Plans and advises on SC VB statutory changes
    • Reviews workload assessments and identifies staffing requirements

Authority

The Advisory Committee may seek input, suggestions, and recommendations from individuals and groups within and outside the Judicial Branch and may invite consultants to its meetings as needed.  Advisory Committee members may consult with others at the request of the Chair.

The Advisory Committee is authorized to study procedures considered by or in effect in other court systems and any other model procedures.

Membership

Membership will be reviewed each biennium, with recommendations to the Chiefs.  The members of the Judicial Branch Service Center Violations Bureau Advisory Committee are as follows:

    • State Court Administrator
    • Chief Judge of the District Court or District Court Judge Designee
    • Chief of Finance and Administration
    • Director of Court Operations
    • Director of Court Services
    • Director of Process, Planning, and Services
    • Clerk of Superior Court
    • Clerk of District Court
    • Manager of the Judicial Branch Service Center (Chair)
    • Service Center Operations Supervisor
    • Chief Information Officer or Designee

The Committee will also utilize resource members.  These are individuals who can be called on from time to time to assist the Committee in carrying out its responsibilities.

These resource members include:

    • Chief Justice of Superior Court or Designee Superior Court Justice
    • Judicial Branch staff as may be required
    • A representative of the Maine State Police
    • A representative of the Secretary of State’s Office

Meetings

The Committee will meet minimally three times a year and will assign specific tasks to subcommittees utilizing in-house subject expertise and resource members as necessary.

Reporting 

The Committee will annually report activities to the Chief Justice, the Trial Chiefs, and the State Court Administrator.

Commission Duration 

The Service Center and Violations Bureau Advisory Committee will be a Standing Committee of the Judicial Branch.

Dated: August 4, 2021

Approved by:

Chief Justice Valerie Stanfill 
Maine Supreme Judicial Court



Membership Roster

James T. Glessner, State Court Administrator
Hon. Jed J. French, Chief Judge of the District Court
Dennis Corliss, Chief of Finance and Administration
Rick Record, Director of Court Services
Beth Maddaus, Director of Court Operations
Katharine Wiltuck, Director of Process, Planning, and Services
Terry Harding, Clerk of Court (Superior and District)
Susan Bement, Clerk of District Court
John T. Smith, Service Center Manager (Chair)
Terry Gordon, Service Center Operations Supervisor
David Packard, Chief Information Officer, or Designee