Dane County Courthouse closes its holding cells for not holding up.

• Author: Zemlicka, Jack

Byline: Jack Zemlicka

Complications involving the central holding cells at the 1-year-old Dane County Courthouse have given new meaning to the phrase lock-down. Warping, hinge damage and locking deficiencies were problems discovered on 24 holding cells by Department of Corrections state inspectors in June. The facility has been closed since, complicating court cases and communication for everyone involved. "It's been an unfortunate situation because there have been delays caused by the shutdown," said Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard. "The courthouse was designed with a lot of benefits, some negatives, but this was just a miscalculation."

Initial Success Designed to allow quick transfer of inmates, along with the ability for attorneys to consult and advise clients in a timely manner, the cells were effective during the courthouse's first six months -- from January through June of this year. Sandwiched between courtrooms, the underground holding facility has two secure elevators in which bailiffs transport defendants to their court appearances. "For the morning schedule, bailiffs would bring over a large number of defendants to the central holding cell in the courthouse," said Dane County Circuit Court Chief Judge Michael N. Nowakowski. "Someone would radio down and say we need defendant Jones and in a matter of minutes, he would arrive." Now, two bailiffs handle a 15- to 20-minute transport of inmates, individually, through tunnels from either the Public Safety Building or City-County Building. In the meantime, prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges are left waiting. "It's a time-waster," stated attorney Edward Krueger, head of the Dane County Bar Criminal Law Section. "The pressure increases on everyone involved and impatience is starting to be noticeable." Nowakowski concurred that the current method involves "way too much dead time," but that there is not much anyone can do, other than adapt. "Cases cannot proceed without the defendant, so we have no choice but to wait," said Nowakowski. "In terms of cases heard, they are just getting pushed back through the morning and afternoon hours." Losing...