Friday was a monumental move for two divisions of the Allen County Common Pleas Court as they are brought together.
As part of the county’s capital improvement plan to become more efficient, the Probate Court is leaving the county courthouse and moving in with Juvenile Court on Wardhill Avenue. Each court has run independently in separate locations with one judge presiding at both. Modifications are being made to accommodate courtroom space allowing the judge and his staff to all be under one roof.
Judge Glenn Derryberry explains the benefits, “The beneficial side is we’re eliminating some duplication of services. It doesn’t make sense to operate two budgets in two separate clerk offices, though we do have to maintain that separation for staffing purposes and all those reasons, we’re avoiding duplication.”
Along with the move, a restructuring of casework has the Domestic Relations Division now handling the transfer of paternity, custody, and child support cases. They will now be using the space that Probate had in the courthouse.
