SACRAMENTO — It hasn’t grabbed the spotlight like San Francisco’s trial court, but San Joaquin County Superior Court is facing budget troubles that rival its coastal counterpart in severity and impact.
The Central Valley court has been cutting staff and reducing hours in the past few years. Now it’s planning to close its Tracy courthouse next month while keeping just one courtroom open in Lodi. Forty-six court employees, including 39 legal process clerks, have been pink-slipped. And the court’s small-claims docket is expected to operate just eight hours a month.
