Economic recession hits U.S. judicial system

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22 (Chinese media) -- Justice is being delayed or disrupted in state courtrooms across the country because of the economic recession, it was reported on Monday.

About 20 states, including California, have slashed court budgets and other government services as their economies have tanked, the Los Angeles Times said, quoting Daniel Hall, vice president of the National Center for State Courts, a nonprofit in Williamsburg, Virginia.

"Courts are there to provide a fair and impartial resolution of disputes," Hall said. "When you start affecting that, you affect who we are."

"As a result, civil litigation and family law cases are bearing the brunt of the disruptions. And cascading bankruptcies, foreclosures and business disputes have only increased the backlog," the paper noted.

California cut its judicial branch budget by more than 200 million dollars, or about 10 percent, in the current fiscal year, and further reductions are almost certain as the state grapples with a projected 40-billion-dollar deficit, according to the paper.

A Republican proposal unveiled last week, for example, would trim a further 205 million dollars from the judiciary, the paper said.

New Hampshire is another example. To cut costs, the state courts won't hold criminal or civil jury trials for a month, according to the paper.

In Florida, courts have laid off 280 clerks, lawyers and other staff members, and cut funding for a judges' unit that helps resolve civil disputes after two rounds of budget cuts, said the paper.

An additional 10 percent reduction would mean "all civil cases in the state of Florida would virtually be suspended," Belvin Perry Jr., chief judge of Florida's 9th Judicial Circuit and chairman of a trial court budget commission, was quoted as saying.

The delays may encourage some defendants to seek plea deals, or litigants to settle out of court, said the paper, adding that some counties are advocating out-of-court mediation and conflict resolution.