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Reno County district attorney reports destruction of 2,483 obsolete court files; pretrial scoring tool stalled by court administration
Summary
The county DA said his office destroyed 2,483 court files under a new retention policy and that a proposed pretrial scoring rubric to reduce jail population cannot be implemented because the courts and state judicial administration are developing a statewide policy.
The Reno County district attorney told commissioners he has implemented a records retention policy and, after reviewing 28 boxes of archived material, destroyed 2,483 court files no longer required to be retained, reducing long‑term storage costs.
"Out of those 28 boxes, we kept the files that filled up only eight boxes. The other 20 boxes we were able to... destroy 2,483 court files," the DA reported on the record. He said the work will continue as his office has time while prosecuting multiple homicide and related cases.
The DA also described a proposed pretrial scoring tool adapted from a model used in Saline County to help standardize bond recommendations and pretrial supervision referrals. The tool would assign scores based on offense, criminal history, community ties and other considerations and produce recommended bond levels and supervision needs for judges to consider. The DA said he presented his version to local partners but was told by the county's administrative judge that court services would not participate because the state Office of Judicial Administration (the Supreme Court's administrative office) is forming a 13‑member committee to develop a statewide policy on pretrial practices.
Because the court system has deferred to that statewide team — which, according to the DA, includes judges, court services officers, defense attorneys, a community corrections officer, a sheriff and a prosecutor — he said he cannot unilaterally implement his scoring plan without court services' cooperation. He told commissioners he will discuss the approach with the incoming chief judge once that judge is sworn in and will keep the commission updated.
The DA also reported on holiday outreach: his office collected 819 toys and $150.28 in cash plus hats, scarves, blankets and other items for Toys for Tots, the largest haul the office has recorded.
The commission received the update; the DA said he will bring additional details back as the statewide pretrial effort develops and when he can meet with the incoming chief judge.
