Each position listed below only describes a portion of the numerous and various duties performed daily. A complete description of their duties and responsibilities is maintained at the Court.
Court / Judicial Administrator, Lori Rickenbaugh
With the retirement of long-time Court Administrator Vicki Fitzgerald, long-time Judicial Administrator Lori Rickenbaugh took on a new role of both Court and Judicial Administrator for Judge Binette. Lori's duties as Judicial Administrator are to directly assist the Judge in his position. This includes managing, compiling, and analyzing statistical data for the Civil, Criminal, and Domestic Relations’ monthly Supreme Court reports. She oversees the management and operations as the Jury Commision for Petit Jurors by securing jury pools for civil and criminal trials. She retains and secures evidence, “the record”, and other important documents on Court-related items. She handles the scheduling of the Judge’s non-case related calendar, assists with court recorder and courtroom assignments for the daily docket. She also assists in obtaining Visiting Judges from the Supreme Court when the need arises. Lori also acts as a liaison with the media. Further, she assists as an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).
In her new role as Court Administrator, she will be taking on the responsibility for managing all fiscal matters, budgets, accounts payable, and payroll, as well as the supervision of employees. This also entails being responsible for most of the personnel issues at Court. Lori will arrange and assist in matters involving community participation with the Court, initializing and managing the Court's Special Projects, as well as identifying and recommending resource(s) allocation. Lori will also be the intermediary between the general public and the Court. She will be responsible for obtaining and maintaining the Court equipment, (computers, recording system, etc...) This entails reviewing, obtaining and maintaining upgrades and service for court recording technology.
Administrative Assistant, Chasity Page
With the extra responsibilities the Court / Judicial Administrator undertakes in her new role, it was necessary that an Administrative Assistant be hired to assist her. With experience in the court system from her years in the Clerk's Office, Chasity Page was the one chosen to be that person. Chasity's duty is to directly assist the Court / Judicial Administrator in her duties as it relates to the Court. Although not a complete list, some of these duties include securing jury pools for civil and criminal trials and acting as intermediary between all prospective jurors and the Court, via phone calls and written correspondence. She will also be retaining and the disposal of hearing/trial exhibits, overseeing the Court's website, securing Interpreters for hearings / trials, obtaining and maintaining Court Supplies, securing the Court's Archives, reviewing Confirmation Sale Entries, conducting the end of the year inventory, and assisting in the supervision of employees. She also is an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).
Bailiff - Erie County Deputy, Josh Foos
Deputy Foo's main responsibility is handling security for Judge Binette and his staff. That includes being involved in Criminal, Domestic Relations, Civil Protection, Civil Stalking, and Civil matters. However, his duties are not limited to just security. Under the direction of the Judicial Administrator, he is also involved with the case management schedule of the criminal cases and acts as a liaison between the Court and jail personnel. He also maintains courtroom decorum and operations, drafts appropriate court entries and documents as requested by the Court, ensures that necessary documents pertaining to the daily docket are made available to the Court. During jury trials, he is responsible for the supervision and safety of the jurors.
Assistant Criminal Assignment Commissioner, Brianna Behrens
Bri's duties are to generally assist the Judge and the Judicial Administrator. This entail managing all criminal filings, maintaining an accurate criminal docket, reviewing and submitting to the Court various entries, maintaining criminal case files, assist with bailiff duties in courtroom on criminal docket days. Other duties include typing, filing, preparing appropriate court entries, answering phones and receptionist related duties. She also assists as an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).
Domestic Relations Assignment Commissioner, Amanda Tubbs
Amanda's duties are to generally assist the Domestic Relation Magistrate. This entails managing the Domestic Relations caseload. She creates and manages the Domestic Relations’ files, manages the case management schedule for the Domestic Relations cases, acts as a liaison between the magistrates, Court, and attorneys. She assists the Magistrates with Domestic Violence, Civil Stalking Protection, and Emergency Custody cases by preparing files, typing entries, etc... Other duties include maintaining the Court’s calendar of case (Criminal, Civil, Domestic Relations, Domestic Violence, Civil Stalking Protection and Emergency Custody), typing, filing, preparing appropriate court entries, answering phones and receptionist related duties – if needed. She also assists as an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).
Civil Assignment Commissioner, Sara Aldridge
Sarah's duties are to generally assist the Civil Magistrate. She is responsible for creating and maintaining the Court’s civil files on computer. She acts as an intermediate between the attorneys, Judges, and Magistrates, drafts appropriate court entries and documents and ensures that civil documents are obtained from attorneys and litigants ensuring that they are timely filed. Other duties include typing, filing, preparing appropriate court entries, answering phones and receptionist related duties – if needed. She assists the Magistrates with Domestic Violence, Civil Stalking Protection, and Emergency Custody cases by preparing files, typing entries, etc... She also assists as an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).
Secretary / Clerk – Civil Assistant Assignment Commissioner (Currently not filled due to budget constraints) duties are typing, filing, preparing appropriate civil court entries, and other related duties.
Receptionist/ Typist (full time) - (Currently not filled due to budget constraints) primary responsibility is to receive all incoming calls into the Court and ensure that they are appropriately dispatched, greet and provide necessary information to those visiting the court and/or individuals conducting business at the Court. She is also responsible for maintaining proper decorum in the hallway. On a daily basis, she is responsible for typing correspondence, filing, mailing, faxing, and copying. She also assists as an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).
Receptionist/ Typist (part time) - (Currently not filled due to budget constraint) primary responsibility is to receive all incoming calls into the Court and ensure that they are appropriately dispatched, greet and provide necessary information to those visiting the court and/or individuals conducting business at the Court. She is also responsible for maintaining proper decorum in the hallway. On a daily basis, she is responsible for typing correspondence, filing, mailing, faxing, and copying. She also assists as an Assistant Court Reporter (in courtroom recording duties).