Nobody to check your paperwork at Umatilla Court
PENDLETON -- KEPR discovered the employee in charge of checking documents at the Umatilla County Court is leaving, meaning nobody will be around to make sure you've filled out papers correctly.
Forget not having enough time in the day, it's more like not having enough seconds to handle a monstrous workload.
If you've gone through a divorce or custody battle, Barbara Snyder has your back. For 13 years, she's been the person who reviews cases and makes sure you filled out paperwork correctly. Unfortunately, that will all change when she retires next week. Budget cuts in Umatilla County mean her position won't be filled, so the next time you go to court, nobody will be around to give your paperwork a fine eye. The result could be disastrous, especially for anyone getting a divorce.
As it stands right now, if anyone turns in incomplete paperwork, they'll be getting a call from Barbara telling them about it. Once she retires, however, there's a chance nobody will notify, meaning the divorce will never be finalized and nobody will let them know.
"People are going to be very frustrated," Snyder tells KEPR. "They're going to be angry when they come in."
The implications don't end inside the courtroom. Confusion among defendants means cases will be longer to finalize, meaning a delay for anyone going to court.
"It's like we're stepping back in time" Snyder says. "Before we started this program, we couldn't help people; then we helped them for 13 years, and now we can't help them again."
Barbara's last day will be next Wednesday. When she leaves, files will continue to stack up and a reassuring pair of eyes will no longer be making sure your case is correct.
Forget not having enough time in the day, it's more like not having enough seconds to handle a monstrous workload.
If you've gone through a divorce or custody battle, Barbara Snyder has your back. For 13 years, she's been the person who reviews cases and makes sure you filled out paperwork correctly. Unfortunately, that will all change when she retires next week. Budget cuts in Umatilla County mean her position won't be filled, so the next time you go to court, nobody will be around to give your paperwork a fine eye. The result could be disastrous, especially for anyone getting a divorce.
As it stands right now, if anyone turns in incomplete paperwork, they'll be getting a call from Barbara telling them about it. Once she retires, however, there's a chance nobody will notify, meaning the divorce will never be finalized and nobody will let them know.
"People are going to be very frustrated," Snyder tells KEPR. "They're going to be angry when they come in."
The implications don't end inside the courtroom. Confusion among defendants means cases will be longer to finalize, meaning a delay for anyone going to court.
"It's like we're stepping back in time" Snyder says. "Before we started this program, we couldn't help people; then we helped them for 13 years, and now we can't help them again."
Barbara's last day will be next Wednesday. When she leaves, files will continue to stack up and a reassuring pair of eyes will no longer be making sure your case is correct.
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