Details expected soon, but court cuts are coming

Reading the future of California courts lately has been like one of those old western movies: It’s quiet… too quiet. And while some corners might hold out hope for reduced cutbacks since voters approved the November passage of the governor’s revenue increase, some have actually begun noticing that the closures announced last year were not election bluster but actual announcements; many came post-election. 

Some of the fallout and “ripple effect” has gained coverage, although mostly from the communities directly impacted. In Los Angeles County the Whittier Daily News, for example, has been atop the changes with reporter Peter Fullam noting last month that “… planned closure of all the courtrooms in the Whittier Courthouse could take a heavy toll on area law enforcement and on citizens, witnesses, victims and others who use the judicial services.”

Background: The Los Angeles County Superior Court announced shortly after that November election that, due to a shortfall expected to range between $56.6million to $85.3 million, it is closing court services from 10 county courthouses, including Whittier’s. The ripple effect even has some downtowns, those that still have courthouses, worried about traffic and parking while others worry that witnesses and police have to travel out of town.

More details are expected next month, and you can read Fullam’s report here.