People are lining up for City of Bham’s Rocket Dockets this week
BIRMINGHAM, AL – During the summer of 2021, Birmingham Municipal Court will host “Rocket Dockets” for minor traffic and parking cases at Boutwell Auditorium. The first Rocket Docket is taking place this week, now through June 25, 2021. It started on June 21. These “Rocket Dockets” will ONLY address minor traffic and parking cases.
Also this week at Boutwell, Birmingham Municipal Court will have a docket known as Operation Reset. This special docket means that the court will remove any active warrant a person has and a new date will be set for that person. This does not mean that city court will dismiss the actual case. It just means that a person with a current warrant from Birmingham Municipal Court will receive a new court date on that case. Operation Reset will address any case in Birmingham Municipal Court. It also started on June 21.
Walk-ins are eligible for Operation Reset. People will not be arrested when coming to reset their court case for Operation Reset. Court starts 9 a.m. but doors open at 8:30 a.m. at Boutwell. The court saw nearly 2,000 people on June 21. On a regular court day at the city courthouse, city judges see about 300 to 400 people.
“Citizens are responding to the opportunity to resolve their matters with Birmingham Municipal Court, which is a good outcome for our rocket dockets,’’ said Presiding Judge Andra Sparks.
Future Rocket Dockets and Operation Reset cases will also take place July 19 – 22, 2021 and August 23– 25, 2021 at Boutwell.
People can call 205-254-2161 or visit www.birminghamal.gov/municipal-court/ for more information.
DEFINITION: The term “rocket docket” refers to the notion that a large number of a single type cases, such as traffic cases, can be resolved more quickly if heard on a designated day than if a judge hears several different types of cases on the same day.
On an average day in Municipal Court, judges hear all types of cases. This rocket docket is going to allow judges to focus on traffic cases on these designated days at the Boutwell. Meanwhile, judges will continue to address different cases before them while stationed at the David Vann courthouse. This effort just allows them to deal with several traffic cases on one day.
