There’s a pattern most of us fall into at some point in this job.
We see something that isn’t working.
We know there’s probably a better way.
But we don’t move on it.
Not because we don’t care—but because it feels like it’s going to be a process.
Too many steps.
Too many people involved.
Too much time.
Too many unknowns.
So we keep working around it instead of fixing it.
The Lie We Tell Ourselves
The hesitation usually sounds like this:
- “It’s going to take forever to get approved.”
- “They probably won’t allow that.”
- “I don’t even know who to ask.”
- “I’ll deal with it later.”
And “later” turns into months… or years.
Not because the problem is hard—but because we’ve already decided the solution will be.
A Real Example from This Week
This morning, I stepped out of the courtroom and spent time observing our front office during arraignment. That’s something I don’t get to do often, and it gave me a different perspective.
I noticed something simple—but important.
Our pay window process was outdated.
We were still using handheld card swipers inside the window. That meant:
- Clerks had to physically take a defendant’s debit or credit card
- Hold it in their hand
- Swipe it manually
- Then hand it back
Even though it’s done in plain sight, it’s still inefficient. It slows the line down and creates unnecessary handling of someone else’s card.
And the truth is—I’ve thought about upgrading it before.
I just never acted on it.
Why? Because I assumed it would be complicated. I assumed I’d run into resistance or delays from the payment provider.
What Actually Happened
Today, I made the call.
The sales rep answered on the second ring.
I explained what I needed:
- Two updated devices for the pay windows
- Tap-to-pay capability
- Apple Pay and Google Pay enabled
His response:
“Just send me an email.”
That was it.
Five-minute phone call.
Three-minute email.
The new devices are being overnighted and will be in the office by Friday. The additional features may take about a week to activate on the account.
That’s a problem I’ve tolerated for years—resolved in under ten minutes.
The Takeaway
We delay change because we overestimate the difficulty.
We build barriers in our head before we ever test whether they actually exist.
Meanwhile, the inefficiency continues:
- Staff keeps working harder than they need to
- The public experience stays clunky
- Small frustrations stack up into bigger ones
A Better Approach
If something in your court:
- Slows your staff down
- Creates confusion
- Feels outdated
- Or just doesn’t make sense anymore
…don’t sit on it.
Make the call.
Send the email.
Ask the question.
Even if you’re not sure who the right person is—start somewhere.
The Worst Case vs. The Reality
Worst case:
You get told no.
Or you get redirected to someone else.
Best case:
You solve a long-standing problem in minutes.
Most of the time, the reality lands a lot closer to the second option than we expect.
Final Thought
Progress in a clerk’s office doesn’t always come from big overhauls.
Sometimes it comes from small decisions you’ve been putting off.
If you’re someone who drives improvement—keep doing that.
But don’t let hesitation slow you down.
The fix you’ve been avoiding might be one phone call away.
The Clerk’s Desk 