Economic Collapse Leads to Courthouse Cuts in Several States
By David Bario
March 02, 2009
The Am Law Daily has become sadly accustomed to the pain facing both our own industry and the one we cover; on Friday another newspaper folded, and nearly 200 Latham & Watkins lawyers received pink slips. It's only natural for the cuts to be hitting courthouses as well, but it was still disturbing to read over the weekend that most Oregon courts will now only open four days a week due to state budget shortfalls. Beginning March 13, courtrooms in circuit courts, courts of appeals, and the state's supreme court will be closed on Fridays, according to the Oregonian.The situation is equally dire in California. Though the state has yet to reduce courthouse hours, its trial courts are being forced to cope with an effective $250 million spending cut. The state has also delayed the hiring of 50 new judges promised by the governor; they were supposed to have been the rescue squad that would deal with a backlog of cases.
It's scary out there, folks. In Minnesota, Chief Justice Eric Magnuson of the state supreme court is warning that state court system cuts could cause an "erosion of the rule of law" and a "tear in the fabric of society." He told the Star Tribune that he expects the courts will have to reduce hours and suspend prosecution of 21 types of cases, including harassment, probate, and property damage. Georgia's state supreme court chief justice issued a similar warning in February, telling the state legislature, "We cannot afford to go down this path."
For the time being, unfortunately, a lot of states can't afford not to.
