A Prince William County, Virginia, program that aims to make court services more accessible is returning to the region early next year.
Circuit Court Clerk Jacqueline Smith first launched the initiative, called Seals on Wheels, last year. She came up with the concept while campaigning for her first term in office. A Dumfries, Virginia, resident told her that in order to go to court and get a marriage license, he had to take the day off from work because he didn’t have a car.
“That’s not acceptable, for a citizen to have to give up an entire day’s wages, just to go exercise their constitutional rights,” Smith said.
So, Smith launched Seals on Wheels, which uses a sprinter van with several service windows to make court services more accessible in Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park. Residents walk up to one of the windows, staffed by county volunteers, and explain what they need help with.
Smith described the initiative as a first-of-its-kind mobile services unit. It’s funded using grants, Smith told WTOP, so it comes at no additional cost to taxpayers.
“The vehicle caters to the 61% of residents in our jurisdiction who commute more than 40 minutes to work Monday through Friday, which is, of course, when the courthouse is open,” Smith said. “So we’re able to help residents save time and money by providing services to them on Saturdays, at least one Saturday per month, in locations convenient to them.”
The county has plans to have the vehicle appear at 12 different locations next year, Smith said.
Popular services include providing gun permits, gun locks, marriage licenses, and deeds or other court papers needed. The most common service, Smith said, is application for or the renewal of gun permits.
“I’ve actually been surprised at some of the popularity, because I have considered people who financially perhaps have restrictions keeping them from the courthouse. But I hadn’t considered, for example, some of our retired folks in the community, who maybe aren’t comfortable or aren’t able to drive to Manassas from where they live in our community,” Smith said.
Last year, the county distributed over 700 free gun locks and helped about 1,500 people.
Early locations for the van include:
- Feb. 17 – Montclair Library (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- March 9 – Manassas City Library (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- April 20 – Bull Run Library (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- May 18 – Dale City Library (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- June 15 – Dumfries Library (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
- July 13 – Potomac Library (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
