New clerk urges investment in digital services and staff after trimming backlog

Brad Crossland, the county’s recently appointed clerk of the superior court, told the Board of Supervisors that the clerk’s office has reduced the most impactful minute‑entry backlog and is seeking funding to sustain that progress. "We were able to triage the most impactful minute entries like sentencing hearings and bring that turnaround time from three months down to two weeks," Crossland said during his budget presentation.

Crossland described the clerk’s office as the “circulatory system of the courts,” responsible for producing hearing summaries, managing evidence and serving the public. He said the office has implemented templates and other automation that sped production of minute entries and will allow the office to better track court technicians’ time in court versus at their desks.

Why it matters: timely minute entries affect probation, warrants, firearms notifications and other time‑sensitive actions across the justice system. Crossland warned that delays can create downstream risks to public safety and case processing.

What he requested: Crossland asked the Board to fund two items in the near term. First, a three‑year limited‑term position he labeled a "digital services clerk" who would set up digital evidence, train self‑represented litigants, assist attorneys and purge unneeded evidence to avoid escalating storage costs. County management has recommended funding about 60% from the general fund and the remainder from special revenue funds. Second, Crossland asked the Board to continue one‑year funding for his temporary chief deputy through December to retain institutional knowledge while the department stabilizes.

Board response and context: Supervisors thanked Crossland for trimming the backlog and pressed him on ongoing vacancies; Crossland said the office has one remaining court‑technician vacancy that it is actively recruiting for. Several supervisors noted that any expansion of court calendars — for example, a new superior court division downtown — would require additional court technicians, reinforcing the clerk’s argument that staffing closely tracks courtroom workloads.

What’s next: The clerk said he will return to the Board with more data on workload and impacts next year as the office rolls out further automation templates and measures how technicians allocate time. His funding requests are included in the manager’s recommended budget with the mix of general and special revenue described to the Board.