Kentucky

The recent AOC budget cuts prompted a response by Chief Justice Lambert.  My initial reaction is that in lean times all must tighten up their belts a notch or two.  However, the real question is how many notches and what will be the impact from those notches when it comes to the administration of justice.

Well, the AOC states at their web site that "The Kentucky Court of Justice handles nearly 1.2 million court cases a year. Nearly 4,000 employees and elected officials, with a wide range of education and expertise, carry out the daily operations of the court system."

Per the census bureau, Kentucky's 2006 population was a tad over 4.2 million people!

Even without the recidivistic reduction in the number of cases, you have at least two persons involved oir affected by each case (one on each side or a victim) or 2.4 million people involved in the cases; but since there are families on each side (whether civil or criminal) and witnesses and jurors, I would think it safe to say the the civil and criminal justice system in this state touches upon the lives of every citizen at least once each year!

Which governmental entity has that kind of impact on your lives?

With that fact in mind, Chief Justice Lambert's remarks that the budget cuts would have a devastating impact upon the justice system is no cry of wolf.   The lives of every citizen is impacted by the justice system in the shape of someone they know or are related to. 

Here's the story by Jason Riley from the Courier Journal:

Chief justice calls proposed budget cuts a terrible mistake

Kentucky Chief Justice Joseph Lambert says a proposed $55 million cut in the state judiciary budget over the next two years would have a devastating effect on the court system.