Hundreds of cases are on the docket every week

Contributed Auburn Villager Auburn Municipal Court Judge Joe Bailey

Eight years after Joe Bailey graduated from Auburn University and began working for Auburn National Bank (now AuburnBank), he realized he wanted to pursue a completely different career path.

Bailey, a lifelong Auburn resident, went on to attend law school at the University of Virginia. After spending time in north Alabama in a clerkship, Bailey returned to the Plains where he opened a private law firm. From there he served as a legal counsel for West Point-Pepperell, the giant textile manufacturing company, and as a part-time municipal court judge for the city of Auburn.

In December 1981, Bailey was asked to preside over Auburn's municipal court on a full-time basis. He has served as the city's administrator of the justice department and municipal judge ever since.

The municipal court meets every Thursday, and Bailey hears cases ranging from Auburn drivers contesting speeding tickets to those accused of domestic abuse. In his almost 29 years of service, Bailey said the job has yet to get old.

"You'd think I'd have heard everything at least once by now," Bailey said. "But I'm always seeing something new."

Auburn's court system offers several different options that allow a criminal charge to be taken off a person's record. In a college town, Bailey understands that people between the ages of 18 and 22 have a tendency to make mistakes.

"I don't want someone coming here for school and leaving with a criminal record," Bailey said. "We've all done stupid things in our lifetimes. A lot of them were done during college."

For example, if a first-time offender is arrested for driving while intoxicated, the court offers the option of asking for youthful offender status if the person is under the age of 21, so the charge won't follow the individual the rest of his or her life. In addition, the person can apply for the pre-trial diversion program. In both cases, he or she can legally claim to never be convicted of a crime.

"I pushed for that because I don't believe someone should be punished for going more than 21 years without committing a crime," Bailey said.

To complete either program, the person must attend DUI or substance abuse classes, pay a fine and not commit another crime in the 90 days following the initial court appearance.

The city also offers similar options for those charged with theft and domestic abuse. Bailey said that in a lot of cases, the accused is dealing with mental issues that can be helped with counseling. There's also a driver's education program for those with traffic citations.

"Over time," Bailey said, "It'll help mold them into better citizens, better people. That gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling."

In the domestic abuse cases, the defendant goes for counseling once a week for six months, with the emphasis on anger management. If the individual goes 18 months without another incident, the charge is dropped. Bailey said about 85 percent of defendants complete the program successfully.

But those courses and special agreements are only made for those who held a clean record beforehand and show genuine remorse.

"There's nothing automatic about it," Bailey said. "You have to convince the court that you made a mistake and intend for it to not happen again."

Assistant court administrator and court clerk Brad Bass and administrative assistant Rachel Cook report to Bailey. There are also four court magistrates, Willie Ann Goodman, Susan White, Brenda McManus and Mindy Hufstedler.

Magistrates are judicial officers who have limited authority to enforce and administer the law.

Last Thursday's docket saw Auburn's municipal court handle 650 cases, but for now Bailey said he and his staff are able to handle the workload.

The city has hired--and Bailey has sworn in--32 new police officers in the last three years, so more personnel are available to make arrests and write tickets. Bailey said that as a result his workload would undoubtedly increase.

Fortunately, Bailey said, one of the best advancements in the court was making many aspects electronic. A few clicks of a mouse and taps on a keyboard can do what used to take hours to sort and fill out papers.

Bailey said that every day he and his staff try to remember they are public servants and strive to respect each person's individual rights.

"But we also have to do our job," Bailey said. "That doesn't always make everyone happy. In this line of work, that's how it goes."