Budget cuts to worsen California court delays, officials say
Extended waits for lawsuits to reach court, longer custody fights and even lengthy battles to challenge traffic citations are predicted.
The San Francisco Superior Court is laying off more than 40 percent of its… (Jeff Chiu / AP Photo)
Californians will soon face longer lines in courthouses, delays in finalizing divorces, prolonged custody battles and extended waits for lawsuits to go to trial as a result of deep budget cuts approved by state lawmakers.
California Judicial Branch leaders will meet Friday to vote on how to allocate the courts' shrinking budget, which will be slashed $350 million from a total of $3.5 billion. The cut, aimed at helping close the state's budget deficit, means the courts have seen more than a 30% reduction in state general funds over the last three years.