Proposal to Help Unclog the Courts

As an attorney practicing law in Ventura County for almost 20 years, I have watched the growth of the county and its impact on our court system. Frequently I have voiced frustration at the increasing congestion and resulting inability of the system to meet the needs of the community.

A response coming from some of our very caring judges has been that the populace itself need take some responsibility for solving the problem, be it in the form of tax dollars they are willing to spend or other measures within their control.

A perfect example comes to mind from the article in The Times on March 27, concerning my neighbors at Faria Beach. One is flying a large flag over his property and another, in the form of the Homeowners Assn., takes exception to it. You can just see this controversy heading toward the courthouse, brought there by people who should certainly be aware of the ramifications of their actions.

If we cannot talk to each other but in the presence of our judges to solve problems such as these, so be it. But at least let there be an acknowledgement that the crush of cases--domestic, civil and criminal--that truly need peaceful resolution for the sanity of our community are on the same waiting line for the court’s attention as are issues such as these.

CAROL H. HAFFNER

Ventura