During the past 35 years, Renee Koss has seen thousands of small tragedies told in the files of the clerk of courts office.

Koss, chief deputy clerk in Columbia County Circuit Court, has since 1982 witnessed nearly every type of criminal court case possible, including domestic and child abuse, homicides, drug offenses, prison escapes and thousands of drunken-driving cases.

At age 55, she is retiring today as the second in command of a small army of clerks that help keep the courts running in Columbia County.

She remembers cases in which a father shook his baby, leaving the child - now grown - with lifelong brain damage.

"Things do bother you for a while, but then you learn: Hey, this is what goes on in life, Things happen like this," Koss said.

No matter who shows up in her office - judges, attorneys, and those accused of crimes - she offers them all the same thing: respect."You start thinking and judging (them)," Koss said. "That's something I try not to do because they are human. ... They make mistakes. You still have to respect them."

Judge James Miller has known Koss from her first day at the courthouse. Her retirement means a loss of many years of invaluable experience, according to Miller.

"That experience isn't replaced overnight," Miller said.

Technology changes

Life has changed a lot since Koss started, in 1974, as a clerk at the courthouse hired to convert records to microfiche. Koss has spent time working in nearly every area of the clerk of courts' duties, including traffic and municipal citations, family court matters and civil cases.

In 1982, she began working with criminal cases - an area she liked so much, she stuck with it to the end.

"It was much more interesting" than divorces and child support, Koss said.

"Every case is an individual case," she said.

Koss said the most difficult part of her job is the multitasking required of all clerks.

"It's at times very overwhelming, not being able to complete things when you want to," Koss said of the amount of work the clerks accomplish.

Another difficult part, she said, is sitting for hours on end in a courtroom during a trial - because she knew she would have an accumulated pile of tasks to do when she got back to her desk.

The court clerks keep judges on track, taking notes on what judges order and occasionally reminding them to take care of minutiae easily overlooked in bonds and plea and sentencing hearings.

"Our clerks and Renee in particular is always very good about keeping on top of that kind of stuff," said Judge Daniel George, who has known Koss since 1980 when he was an attorney practicing in Columbus.

A clerk's job during a jury trial, which includes swearing in witnesses and keeping track of exhibits, must be handled carefully in front of a jury. Any mistake could lead to a mistrial or become the basis for an appeal.

"Keeping track of all that stuff can be kind of crazy at times," George said.

Most of the changes to her job have been caused by technology - in particular, the change to a computer-based system.

"It's easier now," said Koss, who recalled having to sit as a clerk during jury trials as she put files and cards in alphabetical order.

Clerks would fill out forms using typewriters - every individual traffic citation had to be typed, a time-consuming process. It's much easier to look up records and complete forms on computer, Koss said.

Business in the clerk's office was more face-to-face then, which was not necessarily good, as it also brought more people in who would complain about their situation.

"Back then, people came in person and paid child support," she said.

The public also has an easier time of it now, with almost instant access to court records via computer and the Internet.

"We used to have to pull a lot more files for people," Koss said.

Interruptions

She said the clerk's best - and most difficult - job is multitasking through constant interruptions. Her day is constantly filled with interruptions, she said.

"You've got to stop what you're doing and get something else done," Koss said.

While some crimes have always been around - such as sexual assault, battery and disorderly conduct - Koss said she's seen a large rise in the number of criminal cases involving the abuse of prescription drugs, including Methadone.

"You just never really heard about it (before)," she said.

Miller called her the "dean of the clerks," and a professional whom he will miss seeing on a daily basis - including her blush when she calls a wrong case or pronounces a name incorrectly during a hearing.

"She does get bright red," Miller said with a smile.

Koss said she's learned from the best, which to her means Mary Ellen Cross, now-retired clerk of courts from the 1970s to the 1990s, who Koss still misses at the office.

"She could handle things so well," Koss said.

Cross taught her the importance of treating all people with respect, even those who are not pleasant to deal with.

"(You) give them a chance," Koss said of Cross's lesson.

Into the future

Koss has plans to keep her busy, including three - soon to be four - grandchildren, two horses, a dog, and a garden on the 14-acre farm she shares with her husband, Greg, whom she married in 1973.

But first, she'll take a 10-day long-distance vacation travelling on Greg's Harley Davidson motorcycle, going west to South Dakota and Wyoming - a chance to get away from the office and be outside.

"That's relaxing," she said.

sgreen@capitalnewspapers