The New York County Lawyers’ Association issued a report Tuesday warning that budget cuts continue to imperil the operation of both the federal and state courts. As with four other reports generated by the group since 2011, the latest study details disruptions both large and small on court operations based on flat or diminishing government support.
For instance, the group’s Task Force on Judicial Budget Cuts said reduced staffing and increased caseloads have resulted in less thorough presentence reports on potentially dangerous offenders by the federal Pretrial Services and Probation Officers. Staffing for security at federal courthouses has been reduced due to budget cuts, as have the operations of clerk’s offices in district and bankruptcy courts, the group reported.
