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Volunteer Greeters Making a Positive Difference for Courthouse Visitors
Date: 7/11/2025
The Judicial Branch's new volunteer greeter position at the York Judicial Center in Biddeford is garnering uniformly positive reviews from the public, staff, and courthouse attorneys in its first two months. Staffed by volunteers applying through the Judicial Branchs website, greeters are stationed in the courthouse lobby beginning at 8:00 a.m. to help visitors find their way to their court events, check the daily docket list, and provide a welcoming presence.
Since launching on May 12, greeters have helped over 1700 and counting visitors get to their courthouse destinations quickly and efficiently, significantly reducing traffic to the clerks window for simple requests and directions. Volunteers pleasant demeanor is also making the experience of visiting a courthouse a little less stressful. "There's nothing like a friendly face greeting you after exiting security screening to make a visitor relax and focus on why they came to the courthouse," said Manager of Operations and York County Clerk of Court Julie Howard. York Judicial Center staff have called the greeter pilot a game changer in allowing clerks more time to respond to more substantive questions at the clerks window and attend to their other duties.
Although the Judicial Branch has benefitted from the contributions of volunteers at many of its facilities over the years, volunteers have not served in the role of a greeter recently. "You might think of a courthouse greeter as the same as a greeter in a hospital," said Director of Legal Affairs and Public Relations Barbara Cardone. "However, the courthouse setting required that we develop this volunteer position with close attention to training and oversight and coordination with security staff at the courthouse," she added.
The pilot was developed by an internal committee consisting of Judicial Branch staff and jurists focused on improving information and resources for courthouse users and self-represented litigants. The committee will be making a recommendation to leadership on the feasibility of launching the pilot in another Judicial Branch courthouse in the coming weeks and months. If greenlighted, additional greeter opportunities will be announced on the Volunteer & Internship Opportunities page of the Judicial Branch website at https://www.courts.maine.gov/about/volunteers.html.
Commenting on the positive reception of greeters at the York Judicial Center, State Court Administrator Amy Quinlan said, "We are continuously looking for ways to make our courthouses as easy to navigate, as welcoming, and as helpful as we can for all. The greeter pilot has already made a positive difference in the courthouse experience for visitors at the York Judicial Center. We hope it will be feasible to offer this program in other courthouses in the future to continue to improve access to justice in Maine courts."