by Judge Fred Gillings

I am writing to introduce myself. My name is Fred Gillings, and I serve as your Judge. Since 2004, I have been the Judge for Marysville Municipal Court. As a Judge, I am asked many questions on an extremely wide range of topics. However, during formal court hearings it is not possible to talk to people informally and directly.

It was suggested that I write to you in the form of letters from the bench. After reflection, this sounded like a great idea and I hope you will agree. This allows me to share with you the perspective of my judicial position. I hope to be able to write a series of letters to the community. These letters will not only update you on the work we do at the Courthouse, but also inform you of ways to make a court hearing a more positive experience.

Here are some suggested topics for Letters from the Bench:

Overview of the Court; Common Cases for Municipal Court; Procedure for a Speeding Ticket; PreTrial Orders in Criminal cases; Jury Service; Crime Victims Compensation; Court in the Future. Other topics may be covered as well and I am open to suggestions. The rules for Judges prevent me from discussing a particular case, or providing an advisory opinion on how I might rule on a future case.

Thank you for reading this, and I look forward to submitting the next Letter from the Bench.