The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Despite being the largest courtroom in the Seventeenth Judicial District the Blaine County courtroom was the only one without a sound system installed.

Recently that changed, "This is something new, basically every other courtroom in Montana already has in place audio equipment," stated Seventeenth Judicial District Judge Yvonne Laird. "This includes my other two courtrooms in Glasgow and Malta, They have had audio speaker systems in place but Blaine County never did and it's the largest courtroom."

At first thought it may sound like a minor inconvenience but in reality it is pretty significant. If you have ever been in the courtroom for proceedings, a jury pool, swearing in or a case being tried you have most likely struggled to hear everything being said from time to time.

Maybe a witness has a soft voice or the lawyer isn't very vocal or maybe you are in the back of the jury box or at the furthest point away in the gallery. Point is, that it can be difficult for even those with the best of hearing to 'hear' it all.

"In my five years as Judge I have had many complain about the lack of a speaker system in the court room, it is by far the complaint I hear most often," said Laird.

Those complaints come from all sides, "Most are made by constituents, potential jurors or people in the back of the gallery," added Laird. So to help alleviate the problem Laird took the information to the Judicial IT Department in Helena to find a solution and start the process of getting a sound system installed.

Through her persistence Laird accomplished her goal, "I first learned of the approval in March and IT was able to get a system purchased, delivered on site and installed on June 19.

The Court Administrator's Office purchase included speakers and microphones on the bench, witness stand, and counsel tables, as well as a lapel microphone that counsel can use in the well when questioning a witness or during their opening or closing to the jury. "We will be getting additional speakers for the jury box and the gallery, but they are on back order due to supply issues," added Laird.

The new system will greatly improve proceedings, "When you are talking about a space the size of our courtroom, it really is difficult for folks on the opposite end of the person speaking to adequately hear. The speaker system eliminates that problem and speeds up the process because you don't have to repeat talking points so often."

In addition to the speakers and microphones the Blaine County Courtroom now has hearing assist devices available for any persons utilizing the courtroom that may be hard of hearing, "According to specs on the devices they are not supposed to interfere with hearing aides," said Laird. "As of yet we have not had anyone use them so we are waiting hear feedback on that."

Newly installed speakers and microphones throughout the Blaine County Courtroom will greatly improve proceedings.

Laird went on to say, "The speakers and microphones we have in place have worked very well in their limited use so far and I expect them to function as well when we have a full gallery, but we haven't been there yet."

When will the gallery be full? "We have not had a jury trial in Blaine County as of yet (Since Covid Restrictions were put in place) but I have performed several in Glasgow. The next trial in Blaine County is scheduled for August pending any pretrial settlement."

With up to date sound system in place Blaine County is a modern courtroom that is one of the nicest on the hi-line, "We don't have individual monitors where each juror has their own screen to look at evidence, but we are right there with every other aspect of the courtroom as far as state rooms go," concluded Laird.