 |
|
Budget Resource
Center
|
...providing state budgets, reports, and current news to help the court community make informed budgetary decisions. |
Washington
Actions Underway
- Washington is primarily a locally funded court system; therefore most cost-cutting measures have occurred at the local government level.
- Anecdotal reporting indicates reductions have ranged as high at 25% with many courts in the 8 to 15 percent range. Programmatic reductions have varied considerably across courts and many local courts have reduced staff and/or salaries.
- In one jurisdiction, trial court judges have been asked to take salary reductions. In this jurisdiction, the District Court Judges accepted an increase in the amount of benefits paid by the judges to effectuate a salary reduction.
- Furloughs have been consistently enacted by local governments. For municipal courts, this has resulted in regular court closures from 1 – 4 days per month. For the general jurisdiction trial courts, which must remain open except on non-judicial days, furloughs have been enacted on a rolling basis to ensure that the courts remain open and operational even as the rest of county government closes for the day.
- Many courts are reporting a second round of reductions as they approach the mid-point of calendar year based fiscal years. Additionally, many local courts are reporting that FY 2010 budgets are under development and that further reductions are either expected or have been mandated in budget development instructions.
- At the State AOC, the 2009/11 biennial budget appropriation (July – June FY) included a $9.8 million reduction. This represents an 8 percent reduction to the total agency budget.
- Approximately two-thirds of the agency budget may not be reduced resulting in an effective reduction of the agency’s operational budget of just over 19%.
- Reductions were achieved through the renegotiation of existing service contracts, spending restrictions (travel, training, etc.), elimination of positions held vacant in anticipation of reductions, and elimination of funding for numerous programs.
- Funding for several “pass-through” programs was also reduced by 19%, directly impacting participating local trial court budgets.;
- In addition, the State Legislature enacted a two-year surcharge of $30 on all superior court civil case filings, $20 on all district court civil filings, and $10 on all district court small claims filings. The fee increase is deposited in a newly established “judicial stabilization trust account” and funds are appropriated to several state judicial branch agencies.
- Superior Court of Thurston County will not hold jury trials for 6 weeks in 2009.
Reports and Articles
Gavel to Gavel
- Database. Search the Gavel to Gavel legislation database based on state, year, legislation category, or any combination.
State Links
|
| |
Knowledge
and Information Services Office
Phone: (800) 616-6164
National Center for State Courts
Questions or Comments - email knowledge@ncsc.dni.us
|
Online
research
services provided by
|
|
Copyright 2012. The National Center for State Courts. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
