The Court Services Unit performs the functions of prisoner transport and courtroom security. Comprised of a staff a combination of deputies and supervisors, the Court Services Unit serves the Court of Common Pleas, Municipal Court and the Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court. This unit utilizes 3 prisoner transport buses and 3 prisoner transport vans.
Common Pleas Court
The Common Pleas Section of Court Services provides deputies to maintain custody of prisoners appearing in courtrooms, providing security in the courtrooms, and ensuring paperwork generated during the court proceedings that is to accompany the inmates is appropriately processed. They also provide deputies for Civil Stalking Protection Order (CSPO) Court and the Domestic Relations/ Juvenile Court sections of Common Pleas.
Convey
Deputies assigned to Convey are responsible for the transporting of newly sentenced prisoners to State Institutions to begin their sentences. They also transport prisoners from state institutions, other county jails, State psychiatric hospitals, and youth camps to the Franklin County Corrections Center for Court appearances. This detail is equipped with two 10-passenger vans. The Convey unit is under the supervision of the Common Pleas Section supervisors and is comprised of four deputies.
Municipal Court
The Municipal Section of Court Services is tasked with transporting prisoners from the jails to both the Common Pleas and Municipal Courthouses for appearance before a judge, providing deputies to maintain custody of prisoners appearing in Municipal courtrooms, and ensuring paperwork generated during the court proceedings is appropriately processed. Deputies in this assignment operate three prisoner transport buses and one prisoner transport van.
Liaison
A Sergeant is also assigned as a liaison officer and works in conjunction with Columbus City Prosecutor and Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk’s Office personnel covering an array of functions necessary for effective prosecution of matters with which the Municipal court has authority. The Sheriff’s Liaison Office is the channel where communications between the various divisions of the Sheriff’s Office and the Courts travels. This Sergeant acts as the Section Sergeant in his absence.