St. Paul's streets, eateries, taverns and party rooms will bustle with activity into the wee hours of the mornings when the Republican National Convention comes to town in September.

And they won't be alone. Ramsey County criminal courts may stay open for business around the clock as well.

Given expectations of large demonstrations during the GOP gathering -- with the likelihood of some arrests and the possibility of real trouble -- Ramsey County district judges said they're ready to hold court at any time of the day or night if it becomes necessary.

The St. Paul city attorney's office also has been planning for the event for the past 18 months and expects to be in contact at least hourly with police commanders to answer questions, including legal rules on peddling, leafleting and so on.

The county attorney's office is prepared to work 24/7 to make charging decisions and court appearances or offer whatever legal advice is needed.

The county public defender's office said recent budget cuts mean they simply don't have the people to staff an around-the-clock schedule. But chief public defender James Hankes said some private attorneys have volunteered to help out.

All in all, those who work in the court system said they are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst during the convention Sept. 1-4.

More than 1,800 people were arrested at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. And although 90 percent of those charges were eventually dismissed, a similar situation here could tax court resources. About 300 arrests are made in St. Paul in a typical summer week.

Hoping for boredom

Although the size of the antiwar demonstration on the first day of the Republican National Convention has been projected at between 50,000 and 100,000 people, no one has ventured to guess how many people might be arrested for unlawful activities, be they trivial or serious.

The district judges plan to hold court 24 hours a day if necessary, District Judge J. Thomas Mott said.

Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin said she doesn't think that will be necessary but holding some evening court sessions is a definite possibility. Still, she has filled every slot on the tentative 24-hour schedule.

"I've already got volunteers if we have a midnight court, a 3 a.m. court, a 6 a.m. court," she said. "The response has been 'It's our duty. It's important that people in the world see that a justice system operates properly.' Not one of them is saying no."

The Maplewood courthouse also could be used for noncriminal matters if necessary, Mott said.

The court also is prepared to hold a misdemeanor arraignment court on Labor Day, the convention's first day, if necessary, Mott said.

Those who are given citations rather than arrested would be given instructions about how to get a court date.

The district's regular court calendar will be minimal that week because the convention coincides with the judges' annual fall conference, Mott and Gearin said.

The county attorney's office has a multilayered plan for scenarios ranging from a few criminal cases to an "all-heck-breaks-loose" plan, County Attorney Susan Gaertner said.

"We've put a lot of work into planning for the worst," she said. "My hope and expectation is that as a result, we'll all be bored to death."

Hankes, who heads the Second Judicial District Public Defender's Office, said recent budget cuts have reduced his staff from 48 full-time-equivalent trial lawyers to 36 1/2, and he doesn't receive any extra money to pay overtime or hire extra people to work after-hours to handle convention fallout.

"We'll be there during the day," he said. "I'm sure there'll be people to talk to."

Overtime is an issue

Overtime costs are also an issue in the court's piece of the puzzle. Gearin said they've put in a request for funds to the State Judicial Council but aren't likely to get any federal money to pay for extra hours that might be needed.

City Attorney John Choi said his staff is "planning for every contingency."

Staff attorneys have been working closely with the Sheriff's Office and the Police Department to train officers in First Amendment, civil liability and other issues that might arise during the convention.

Choi said his staff also has taken the time to review cases that have occurred at past protests and political conventions.

Court officials in Boston said it was business as usual during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in that city.

Although a night court wasn't planned, justices there arranged to be on call and to run court as long as necessary each day, said First Justice Paul Leary.

"We assigned extra judges, and they sat around and chatted," Leary said.

Pat Pheifer • 651-298-1551