Showing posts with label budget cuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget cuts. Show all posts
Monday, June 23, 2008
Some judges getting fed up with legislative budget cuts
Minnesota Lawyer has an interesting piece this week on the Judicial Council debate last week on whether or not to impose a moratorium on all civil jury trials. The discussion occurred at a Judicial Council meeting held during the Minnesota State Bar Association's annual convention in Duluth. The council ultimately rejected the idea, but not before some frustration was vented about lawmakers' treatment of the courts in the budget process. (Click here to see the article.)
Justice delayed and denied
I was glad to see the public-defense crisis got some ink from the Star Tribune over the weekend. In an unusual move (for us anyway) demonstrating the importance of the subject, Minnesota Lawyer dedicated almost its entire front page to the topic last week. (Click here and here for the two page-one stories Minnesota Lawyer ran.) The Pioneer Press has also had excellent pieces on the public-defense crisis written by Ruben Rosario ("State public defender cuts imperil us all") and Ramsey County District Court Judge Edward Cleary ("Public-defender cuts undermine justice system, and we'll all pay.")
We hear the alarm bells raised quite a bit on various topics these days -- so much so that we can grow tone death to the constant blare of the sirens. However, I cannot emphasize enough that this is not a "run-of-the-mill" problem for the justice system. Not only do these cuts endanger access to justice for some of the state's poorest citizens, but they also clog the wheels of justice for everyone else. And this happens at a time when the courts are dealing with a budget cut of their own, creating a "perfect storm" scenario.
In a decade of covering the state's justice's system, I can recall no other fiscal measure as irresponsible and wrongheaded as the public-defense budget cuts. What a terrible 150th birthday gift to the citizens of Minnesota.
We hear the alarm bells raised quite a bit on various topics these days -- so much so that we can grow tone death to the constant blare of the sirens. However, I cannot emphasize enough that this is not a "run-of-the-mill" problem for the justice system. Not only do these cuts endanger access to justice for some of the state's poorest citizens, but they also clog the wheels of justice for everyone else. And this happens at a time when the courts are dealing with a budget cut of their own, creating a "perfect storm" scenario.
In a decade of covering the state's justice's system, I can recall no other fiscal measure as irresponsible and wrongheaded as the public-defense budget cuts. What a terrible 150th birthday gift to the citizens of Minnesota.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Some public defenders to lose jobs; others to take unpaid leaves
The State Board of Public Defense voted on June 5 to cut the public defender work force by 15 percent across the state to meet its $3.8 million budget deficit. The cut means the loss of the equivalent of 53 full-time jobs, in addition to leaving 19 currently vacant jobs unfilled. About half the reduction (23 positions total) will come from actual layoffs; the rest will come from employees voluntarily taking unpaid leaves and from other measures.
The board’s action means the loss of 69 full time equivalent public defenders at the District Court level, out of a total of 441 positions, and three appellate lawyers.
The board also decided to cut public defender services by no longer representing parents in abuse and termination of parental rights cases, which it is not required to do by statute. In Hennepin County, parents will still be represented because the cost is paid by the county and not the state.
The board also decided that public defenders will no longer represent clients in problem-solving courts after their adjudications of guilt. Cuts in the appellate public defenders budget likely will mean a longer time before appeals are handled.
The service reductions were designed to preserve the public defenders’ resources for its priority cases, which are criminal defendants in custody, said State Public Defender John Stuart. “Some of the cuts are very hard to recommend because [the services] are very important to the courts and the people of Minnesota,” he said. However, the courts and the counties are also concerned that in-custody cases be handled expeditiously because jails are crowded, he said.
The staff reductions will mean that a public defender’s average caseload will be 812 cases, more than twice the American Bar Association recommended 400 cases.
The board’s action means the loss of 69 full time equivalent public defenders at the District Court level, out of a total of 441 positions, and three appellate lawyers.
The board also decided to cut public defender services by no longer representing parents in abuse and termination of parental rights cases, which it is not required to do by statute. In Hennepin County, parents will still be represented because the cost is paid by the county and not the state.
The board also decided that public defenders will no longer represent clients in problem-solving courts after their adjudications of guilt. Cuts in the appellate public defenders budget likely will mean a longer time before appeals are handled.
The service reductions were designed to preserve the public defenders’ resources for its priority cases, which are criminal defendants in custody, said State Public Defender John Stuart. “Some of the cuts are very hard to recommend because [the services] are very important to the courts and the people of Minnesota,” he said. However, the courts and the counties are also concerned that in-custody cases be handled expeditiously because jails are crowded, he said.
The staff reductions will mean that a public defender’s average caseload will be 812 cases, more than twice the American Bar Association recommended 400 cases.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Public defenders face losing 61 more lawyers
The public defenders in Minnesota have been hit hard by the Legislature which cut their budget by $1.5 million dollars for FY 2009. It looks as if a serious number of attorneys will lose their jobs, and that doesn’t bode well for any judges or litigants—there will be systemic delays throughout the court system if the criminal calendar gets backed up.
In a press release issued today, the Board of Public Defense said that by the start of the fiscal year the board will have 98 fewer attorneys than it should and a $4.7 million deficit. It now has 19 vacant attorney positions, 18 jobs that have been authorized but not filled, and 17 staff vacancies. The board said another 61 FTE attorney positions will have to be eliminated. That amounts to 14.5 percent of the 421 FTE attorneys now employed. Lawyers in private law firms should consider how they would cope with losing 14 percent of their lawyers.
In a press release issued today, the Board of Public Defense said that by the start of the fiscal year the board will have 98 fewer attorneys than it should and a $4.7 million deficit. It now has 19 vacant attorney positions, 18 jobs that have been authorized but not filled, and 17 staff vacancies. The board said another 61 FTE attorney positions will have to be eliminated. That amounts to 14.5 percent of the 421 FTE attorneys now employed. Lawyers in private law firms should consider how they would cope with losing 14 percent of their lawyers.
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