Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday proposed a 2021-22 budget that includes $381 million in new funding for the courts and, according to the Judicial Council, $2.1 billion over the next five years for 14 courthouse construction projects.

The $4.2 billion judicial branch spending plan stands in stark contrast to last year’s budget, which cut $177 million from the trial courts. Those ongoing reductions remain, but have been at least partially offset by new funding to backfill a decline in revenue from fines and penalties and to aid programs for courts dealing with pandemic-related backlogs and litigants facing evictions.