There is a new waiting room just for children at the Berrien County Courthouse as the family division works to create a more welcoming environment. Berrien County Trial Court Family Division Intake Manager Jean Lawrence tells WSJM News an initiative to have more children directly involved in their own child protective proceedings made the waiting area necessary. She says it’s a best practice to have the kids there when their well-being is discussed.
“Just having that child there in the courtroom focuses the hearings on what they should be focused on, which is the kids,” Lawrence said.
So, Lawrence says staff worked on turning an old storage area into a place that would be friendly for those youngsters.
“We’ve got a beautiful mural on the wall painted by Kathy Zerler, and we asked courthouse staff to donate toys and stuffed animals and blankets and various things. So we have a really nice area where kids can wait.”
Previously, Lawrence says the courthouse just had a general waiting area that could get crowded and loud. The new waiting room for the kids is up and running on the fourth floor of the courthouse. An open house for it will be held on October 10 from 4 to 5 p.m.
