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CAPTION: Brenda Wright (standing at right) talks to staff members about where office items will be located on the third floor of the Livingston County Courthouse. As of Tuesday, the Livingston County associate court office and the Livingston County circuit court office are now located in the same office space on the courthouse’s third floor.

C-T Photo/Laura Schuler

Residents accustomed to visiting the Livingston County Associate Circuit Court office will now have to walk up another flight of stairs because the associate circuit court office has now physically consolidated with the Livingston County Circuit Court office on the courthouse’s third floor.

According to Brenda Wright, Livingston County Circuit Clerk, the state of Missouri is encouraging all circuit and associate circuit court offices to consolidate. Encouragement, she says, has come to the county by the way of a $30,000 incentive to cover the costs associated with the consolidation. And, the staff of both offices (not including the circuit clerk) received a two-step pay raise, effective April 1.

Wright says the consolidation makes sense. “The consolidation of both offices will save time, resources and provide more efficient customer service, which will result in a larger pool of staff that has the training needed to provide quick and accurate response to customers’ needs,” Wright said. As part of the consolidation, she noted, all paperwork involving the circuit and associate circuit operations are now under the circuit clerk’s authority. (The Livingston County associate circuit judge formerly held the responsibility of running the associated circuit court office).