By Randy Arrington
LURAY, Aug. 28 — The Clerk of the Court says the workload has tripled; the Commonwealth Attorney says it’s quadrupled. Either way, the number of cases flowing through Page County courts has increased dramatically in just the last few years, creating a backlog of paperwork that the two offices just now seem to be getting a handle on.
“We’re doing everything we can possibly do to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Page County Circuit Court Clerk Grayson Markowitz told members of the Page County Board of Supervisors on Monday night. “All revocation orders have now been processed.”
During a recent work session, District 1 supervisor Keith Guzy requested that the issue of a backlog of revocation orders in the local courts be put on the board’s next meeting agenda for discussion.
“My staff is working their tales off…we’ve gone from having court one day [per week]…to as many as three or four days of criminal court,” Markowitz said. “The representatives in Richmond need to make changes.”
New legislation adopted in the General Assembly lead to more options for the accused in choosing a jury trial, many are taking that option, slowing down the courts, and the process, further.
“Our office has exploded in the last year and a half,” Page County’s Commonwealth Attorney Bryan Cave told supervisors on Monday. “The number of jury trials went from one or two a year, to two or three a week…with the same amount of staff.”
The supervisors’ inquiry into the matter was prompted by correspondence the county received this summer highlighting 10 revocation orders sitting in Page courts that still had not been processed — several dating back to 2022. Various orders — such as sentencing orders, transport orders and revocation orders — are issued by a judge, dictating the next step in the process. Without an order, nothing is done…and without that order being processed, the inmate remains “in a holding period,” according to Cave.
“This is impacting taxpayer dollars,” Guzy said Monday night, noting that holding inmates cost $40 per day. “This is a significant amount of time on some of these.”
Cave stated that six of the 10 orders listed in the complaint were handled in a “timely fashion,” but he took the blame for the remaining four revocation orders that “fell through the cracks.” In one case discussed during Monday’s open session, an inmate missed the funeral of a loved one simply because an order, issued by the judge, allowing him to attend, had not been processed in time. Other delayed orders may have prevented some inmates from being released on time, creating additional concerns voiced during the meeting about civil liability.
Cave told Guzy that most orders should be processed within 30 to 60 days, depending on the details of the order. He acknowledged that the problem created additional expense and exposed the county to additional liability. Guzy said the sheriff had cited how the additional expenses in housing inmates had affected his budget. However, the commonwealth attorney credits the rapidly rising caseload as “an explanation, not an excuse.”
“Since then, we have fixed the problem…we’re trying to create orders as they happen,” Cave said. “Four of the 10 were not processed…and I [recently] did those myself. There were some orders that fell through the cracks…we will work to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Sentencing orders are processed by Judge Clark A. Ritchie’s secretary in Harrisonburg, according to Cave, while transport orders are processed in Page County by the circuit court clerk’s office, and revocation orders are processed by the commonwealth attorney’s office.
“Since COVID, criminal population and criminal work has tripled. I had one person working in criminal court, now I have three,” Markowitz said on Monday. “Both [the offices of the clerk of the court and the commonwealth attorney] have reorganized to make sure this is something that doesn’t happen in the future.”
“In my seven-and-a-half years, I’ve never been asked to explain the workings of my office…and I don’t think I’ve come and asked for anything,” the court clerk added. “I’ve asked the [state compensation board] for another position…and I’m sure Bryan could use one more in his office.”
For more information about Page County courts,
visit https://www.pagecounty.virginia.gov/150/Courts
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Sexual battery against minor, child abuse, assault on police officer among August indictments
Luray man indicted on charges of incest and sodomy during July grand jury session
I will definitely agree the workload and cases has tripled in numbers within the Circuit Court. However, this is where leadership within that office is needed. We need trained deputy clerks along with a trained clerk as well, to assist in processing the correct paperwork in a timely manner. I would assume other surrounding counties have seen the increase as well, so I’m wondering if they have a backlog and the same issues of getting paperwork to the facilities in a timely manner? I’m would feel safe to say they have seen an increase but feel very confident in saying the surrounding counties are continuing to work diligently to produce the paperwork required at each facility in a timely manner.
Please provide facts about what surrounding counties are doing. It would be useful to know if they are more successful than page in addressing this, or if they are experiencing the same challenges. If they are successful, please provide information about what they are doing differently.
Aren’t you a candidate for this office? In your comments, you should state that fact.
Yes, I certainly am running for Clerk of Court and very excited about my candidacy. I apologize for not making that clear in my comment.
Though no fault of the current CA or C of C, over a period of many years it seems to me our courts have become so use to most cases being “pleaded out” prior to trail that it’s essentially expected in order for courts to function efficiently, and the mere thought of defendants exercising their constitutional right to a jury trail becomes an administrative burden and therefore something is wrong and needs to be changed. Maybe the constitution should be amended so that the right of the accused to seek a jury trial is dependent on the staffing levels of the jurisdiction in which they are charged…?
Everyone knows Grayson thought he was getting a high paying, sweetheart government job after retiring as an appliance repair man. He’s just in over his head. Nice guy but he’s not fixing a fridge leak anymore.
He’s got his eight years of state salary and a nice big new truck. Time to step down and enjoy his retirement.
It’s not just Mr. Markowitz.
Our County’s reigning political machine, facing no meaningful competition at the voting booth, doesn’t even try to earn our votes any more.
Time spent in the GOP booth at the Fair has replaced education, skills and desire to serve as their path to public office.
Fortunately, we have several qualified and conservative independents to choose from this year.
Don’t be taken for granted – vote independent!
I don’t think Grayson is in over his head.