SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Pending confirmation by the Board of County Commissioners, the Sparks Justice Court will be closed on Mondays beginning Monday, Aug. 15.
Sparks Justice Court will go to a 4 day-a-week, 9-hour schedule, with the staff working from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and taking only a half-hour lunch. While the Court had considered many other options to meet the mandated 7 percent wage and benefit reductions, this was the only option that allowed the Court to provide services without losing any more staff. The courthouse will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
“In conjunction with the Reno Justice Court, arrangements will be made for emergency matters, such as applications for protective orders, to be heard by the other open court. The judges will continue to work a full week and will be available for search warrants and other critical matters by telephone or e-mail,” explains Sparks Justice Kevin Higgins.
An after hours number will be provided to law enforcement to contact the judges on Mondays. “We will continue to work diligently to provide full service to the citizens of Sparks. This change will be for at least the rest of this fiscal year,” says Higgins.
