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Court adds children's waiting room and seeks more time for courthouse comfort dog
Summary
Chief Judge Wheaton added a $115,000 children's waiting room to the circuit court budget for FY27 and proposed increasing the contract for the courthouse's comfort dog 'Julia' and handler Terry Albright to provide more hours assisting litigants and staff.
Chief Judge Bonnie Wheaton said the circuit court has included a $115,000 line item this year to fund a children's waiting room under the circuit court budget and said the court planned to increase the comfort dog contract so 'Julia' and handler Terry Albright can spend more time at the courthouse. "Julia provides comfort and support to court users and staff alike," Wheaton said during the presentation.
Wheaton described the comfort dog as part of a broader mental‑health initiative prioritized by the chief judge; she told the committee the dog and handler have been used to de‑escalate potentially volatile situations and to help children feel able to speak to judges. Several board members praised the approach and suggested the county consider making the role permanent or increasing hours in future budgets.
