Wisconsin courts, employers try to cope with the flu.

• Author: Zemlicka, Jack

Byline: Jack Zemlicka

The first round of vaccines designed to combat the H1N1 virus arrived in Wisconsin last week.

The illness is not widespread yet - only a handful of attorneys and court staff in Milwaukee have gotten sick so far - but the county court system has formed a Pandemic Planning Committee as a precautionary measure.

Right now it's business as usual, but we need to be prepared for any changes that might be necessary to keep from exposing people to the flu, said committee member Judge Richard J. Sankovitz.

Among the possibilities, if the virus spreads, are adjournments in some divisions.

We'll look into how many courts can we afford to keep open if our own people are sick, Sankovitz said. If it gets to the point where we can only keep a few branches open, we might consider a mass adjournment.

But while adjournments in the civil division might be feasible, there is less flexibility in criminal and children's court, he noted, because those cases are often time-sensitive. He said most court calendars are scheduled six to eight weeks out.

Since September 1, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has reported that 53 people have been hospitalized for H1N1, and last spring the state had more than 1,000 confirmed cases.

The state court's office has sent out advisory bulletins to judicial and non-judicial staff on how to reduce the risk of catching the virus.

It recommends that court employees stay home if they are sick, and states that other employees may be asked to cancel scheduled vacations and work overtime to compensate for staff shortages.

In addition, employees will likely be asked to do work outside of their normal job duties. Employees must work as assigned unless granted leave.

Pam Radloff, Deputy Director of State Courts said county courts, especially in the northern part of the state, are coordinating efforts in case of a major outbreak.

Districts are sharing [judicial] resources across county lines to make sure there are enough to go around, she said.

In Milwaukee, Sankovitz said the courts are already recommending that civil attorneys handle scheduling conferences over the phone and that judges do the same for bench decisions, to help reduce the number of people congregating at the courthouse.

But teleconferencing will be harder to implement for criminal proceedings, given that defendants are often required to appear in court.

Making a record with someone on the phone is a real challenge, said Sankovitz, who is the...