Legal News

Schwarzenegger endorses $257 million cut to judiciary

By Jason Siegel

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed a proposal to cut one-eight of the judicial branch's budget, $257 million, to help end the budget impasse, The Recorder reported.

The governor's plan would:

• Postpone funding for improvements to the state's conservatorship system for the second time in two years.
• Delay the appointment of 50 new trial court judgeships to July 2009.
• Force the judiciary to rely heavily on reserve accounts to pay its bills.
• Cut the judiciary's annual budget-boosting growth rate, costing the trial courts $56 million.
• Relax overtime laws so employees can work four 10-hour shifts a week without earning overtime.

Officials at the Administrative office of the Courts told The Recorder that the judiciary can endure the cuts as long as they're temporary.

Read The Recorder's full story here

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on August 21, 2008 (boomark / email).