Budget Resource
Center

...providing state budgets, reports, and current news to help the court community make informed budgetary decisions.

North Carolina

Actions Underway

• North Carolina is primarily a state-funded court system. The county pays for facilities.
• North Carolina’s budget was reduced by $25 million (6%) in FY09. This is a combination of reversions and limits on monthly cash allotments. Cuts will slow implementation of new technology and could increase the backlog in criminal cases.
• North Carolina is facing a $79 million reduction (12%) in FY10. However, new fees, totaling $60 million, may offset most cuts.
• Most of North Carolina's judges have agreed to a voluntary 0.5% pay cut equal to the unpaid furloughs imposed on other state employees.
• North Carolina is moving to electronic filing, records, citations and warrants. It is moving towards an electronic DMS and integrated CMS and technologies to permit access from other locations.

Reports and Articles

• Judge John W. Smith. "Budget Update." Memorandum, North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. July 9, 2009.
• John Chappell. "Threatened Budget Cuts Worry Courts." ThePilot.com. May 31, 2009.
• "Court Suspended for July 2 as State Workers Take Furloughs." FOX 8. May 26, 2009.
• Dan Galindo. "Most State Judges Agree To Voluntary Pay Cut." Winston-Salem Journal. May 18, 2009.
• Michael Tomsic. "N.C. Judges Take Voluntary Pay Cut." WHQR 91.3FM. May 2009.
• Dan Galindo. "Most State Judges Agree to Voluntary Pay Cut." Winston-Salem Journal. May 13, 2009.
• Jennifer Fernandez. "Judges Worry Courts Could Be Facing Cuts." News-Record.com. April 6, 2009.
• "Budget Woes May Close Some Court Sessions." The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area. March 18, 2009.
• Sonja Elmquist. "Crisis May Force Court to Cut Back." New-record.com. March 18, 2009.
• Devetta Blount. "Judge: Budget Could Drop The Gavel On Some Guilford County Court Sessions." Digtriad.com. March 17, 2009.
• Chief Judge Joseph E. Turner. "Letter to All Guilford Attorneys." Office of the District Court Judges, State of North Carolina, General District Judges. March 16, 2009.

Gavel to Gavel

• Database. Search the Gavel to Gavel legislation database based on state, year, legislation category, or any combination.

State Links

• Court Budget Web Sites
• Strategic Planning
• State Budgets for 2009
• State Budget Offices