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Eaton County court administrator warns of staffing pauses, reduced hours as budget work begins
Summary
Court Administrator Amy Edsall told commissioners the county courts are pausing hires, cutting discretionary spending and reducing public hours as they prepare the FY2026 budget amid county fiscal strain.
Amy Edsall, Eaton County court administrator, told the Board of Commissioners during limited public comment that the county courts are actively identifying budget reductions for fiscal year 2026 and are taking steps to protect employees while preparing for potential personnel cuts.
Edsall said courts have paused filling multiple vacant positions across several offices as a deliberate cost-saving measure. "Our decision to keep positions vacant should not be interpreted as court offices are being overstaffed or that these positions aren't valued or needed," she said.
The court administrator outlined staffing and service responsibilities across Eaton County's court system: the probate court employs four full-time staff and handles wills, estate administration, guardianships, conservatorships and orders regarding treatment for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities; the district court has 16 full-time and two part-time employees (including a bail division and criminal and probation staff) and handles small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, traffic violations and civil claims up to $25,000; the circuit court has eight full-time employees and handles civil cases above $25,000, domestic relations and jury coordination. Edsall said the courts employ nearly 120 people in total.
She described operational adjustments already made to reduce costs, including pausing hires (two Friend of the Court positions, two district court positions, one community corrections position and two juvenile court positions), cutting subscription services, evaluating contract renewals, eliminating some cell phone contracts and consolidating printer/computer purchases. The courts have also instituted an ordering policy requiring additional justification before purchases and are evaluating which contractual services to continue.
Edsall said the courts have experienced significant staff turnover over the past year for a mix of retirements, fiscal concerns and employees leaving for better pay. She said pausing hiring where possible can reduce the likelihood of layoffs as the county finalizes its budget.
For public access, the county court offices have been approved by the state court administrative office to reduce public-facing hours effective March 17; judicial dockets and juror instructions will be adjusted accordingly. Edsall said front-office staff will still cover the lunch hour and courts will remain open on Fridays.
The remarks were offered during the meeting's limited public comment period and did not propose any formal changes requiring board action.
Edsall closed by thanking the board for the opportunity to provide an update and stressing the courts' efforts to be transparent about cost-saving measures.
