Kentwood district court implements check-in kiosk

Courtesy city of Kentwood

The 62-B District Court of Kentwood now is offering an option to provide more convenient access to court services while maintaining public safety during the pandemic.

The touch-screen kiosk, in front of the Kentwood Justice Center at 4740 Walma Ave. SE, is the first of its kind in Kent County, providing remote court check-ins that will text individuals when it is their turn to enter the courtroom.

The kiosk also can be used during business hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, to make payments or place court documents in its secure drop box.

The kiosk, which has been operational since December 2021, was purchased by the court using federal CARES Act funds. Its software offers five languages in addition to English to serve Kentwood’s diverse community. Other languages are Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Kinyarwanda, Korean and Spanish.

“We are proud to be the first court in the county to offer this safe, innovative and convenient option for the community,” said Amanda Sterkenburg, court judge, 62-B District. “The kiosk allows individuals to safely conduct business with the court, which is particularly important during the current surge of the COVID-19 pandemic and reduces time spent waiting in line or going through security protocols to enter the facility.”

Individuals also can make payments online by visiting the court’s website or by scanning the QR code in front of the Kentwood Justice Center.