Public Information Office
210 S. McDonald St. Suite 636
McKinney, TX 75069
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| CONTACT: | Leigh Hornsby, Public Information Officer 972-548-4772 lhornsby@co.collin.tx.us |
December 28, 2004
Collin County to receive video magistration grant
(McKinney, TX) – Collin County will soon be able to conduct bond hearings via video conferencing. The state’s Task Force on Indigent Defense will award the county nearly $59,000 in grant funding for video magistration.
Currently, magistration for defendants booked at the Collin County Jail occurs only once each day with an average of 20 to 30 defendants. Video conferencing connecting the county jail with the Justice of the Peace office will allow for more frequent magistration and will allow eligible defendants to post bond in a timelier manner. Video conferencing will also eliminate time spent by the judge traveling between the jail and his office.
“This is a win-win situation” says Justice of the Peace Paul Raleeh, who presides over the magistration. “Eligible defendants will be able to post bond quicker and my office will be able to manage the magistration more efficiently.”
The contract begins on March 1st, and video conferencing will be installed in mid-2005.