Thurston County Superior Court Clerk Betty Gould today announced plans to retire in December at the end of her elective term. With nearly 24 years of service to the public and court, Gould is the longest continuing serving clerk in county’s history. She has endorsed her chief deputy, fellow Democrat Yvonne Pettus, as her successor.
When Gould took office on Jan. 7, 1991, she inherited an office with one computer used by a part-time staff member. Other staff members used typewriters and court records were hand written and kept in voluminous manila files that filled every space available. “We were faced with vaults that had no room for another file and boxes of files filled each office,” Gould said.
She envisioned a much more efficient record keeping system where judges, clerks, attorneys and the public could access past and present court documents electronically. It’s a vision that took two decades to accomplish, but Gould will leave office in December knowing that through her leadership the Thurston County Superior Court serves as a model for a paperless office. “It’s my legacy to future generations,” Gould said.
Gould has ensured that the county’s court history has been preserved for future generations as well. Court documents in the clerk’s office, in those fragile, hand-written files, dated back to 1847. With an imaging system in hand, a vendor hired and funding secured Gould set upon a three-year path with Washington State Archives to create electronic images of each document. Each file was audited to ensure accuracy before the originals were stored with Washington State Archives. At the end of the three years, more than 16 million paper pages had been converted to electronic pages that are immediately accessible to court staff and members of the public.
The effort didn’t stop with historical court documents. In April 2013, the Family Justice Center went paperless and in December that same year, the courts at the main courthouse on Mottman Hill followed suit. Today, electronic files allow a judge to sign and forward documents to criminal defendants and their attorneys who are located in the county jail and appear before the court through video display. Electronic filing allows local and state government agencies and attorneys to go paperless and an electronic commerce site allows court customers to purchase copies of documents online. “E-filings and electronic court calendars have provided a smooth, speedy and efficient way to conduct business for all involved and I have been told that these cutting edge systems are very much appreciated by all those who use the court,” Gould said.
Service to the public and domestic violence reforms have been cornerstones of her career.
As a member of the planning team for the county’s Family Justice Center, Gould envisioned a single location where victims of domestic violence could receive comprehensive services. “We needed to eliminate the need for victims to travel to multiple places in order to receive the information, resources and guidance that is available to them,” Gould said. “We’ve created that comprehensive service at the Family Justice Center.”
Gould’s domestic violence program provides victims with court liaisons and an advocate. The liaisons meet with victims in private then offer client-based services to assist each individual. The advocate provides additional education and support in what is frequently a challenging time in the victim’s life.
To assist customers who did not have an attorney, Gould created a “Road Map to the Clerk’s Office.” The brochure answers common questions, clarifies court procedures and allows members of the public to enter the court system with confidence, armed with up-to-date information. More importantly, Gould created a self-help center in her office where clients who don’t have an attorney at their disposal receive assistance in getting the proper forms necessary for their court case. The center uses a touch computer screen and easy-to-understand instructions to get clients through the court system in a timely and efficient manner.
Gould has been so successful; the state Office of the Courts uses her day-long customer service training program for new court employees around the state.
Gould’s leadership on customer service and court efficiencies has been recognized at the state level. Twice she has been named County Clerk of the year. She served as president of the Washington State Association of County Clerks for seven years and prior to that was chair of the association’s legislative committee for seven years. She is especially proud of her work to ensure passage of House Bill 5990 which empowered county clerks to work with criminal defendants to ensure their fines and court-ordered restitution payments were paid in a timely fashion. This program has resulted in millions of dollars paid to crime victims, county and state coffers.
“I want to say thank you to this community for all the support they have given me and the trust they have placed in me,” Gould said. “I have loved this career and have continued to do whatever was needed to provide the best service possible. I have a fantastic staff that have taken my vision and made it a reality. It’s been my joy and honor to serve the people of Thurston County.”
