LA Superior Courts to close once a month to aid budget woes

May 20, 5:56 AMLA Courts ExaminerAnna Menedjian

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Los Angeles County Superior Courts will close its 600 courtrooms once a month to help the state’s budget crisis, according to the Associated Press.
 
The plan will save about $18 million annually according to court officials, but could lay off as many as 1,300 employees, in the next four years, if the financial situation does not improve.
 
“Such cuts would lead to total closure of some courthouses and massive cuts in court services” said the Presiding Judge Charles McCoy.
 
The projected deficit is based on cuts in state funding for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
 
In the budget enacted in February, trial courts took more than $200 million in cuts, said Donna Hershkowitz, assistant director of the Administrative Office of the Courts' lobbying office.
 
“Some courtrooms will stay open to handle emergency matters,” McCoy said, adding that the closures will cause a backlog of cases to build up.
 
Chief Justice Ronald George of the California Supreme Court is working with the Legislature to coordinate similar courthouse closures around the state.