Judges and residents press city for clear municipal-court plan as city prepares to vacate City Hall

Judges, court staff and residents pressed the City Council on Monday for a clear and practical plan to relocate municipal court functions while the city transitions operations to the Municipal Commons and the Utility Center Building is renovated.

"We were informed that the City of Independence wanted us to vacate this by the end of the year," said Judge Helms, who said the court formed an internal committee with the prosecutors and court staff to evaluate options. He described minimum operating standards for municipal divisions and said courtroom facilities must provide public access while protecting the safety and independence of the judiciary.

Judge Helms and court staff said an option under consideration is moving certain court and clerks’ functions into space across the street in the IUC (Utility Center) Building once records functions vacate that location; they also identified an alternate plan of…