County Turns Up Another $5 Million for Courts

Orange County officials said Thursday they have found $5 million for the county court system, which still needs an additional $20 million to avoid running out of money and shutting down later this spring.

The allocation, expected to be approved next week by the Board of Supervisors, would keep local courthouses open for two extra weeks.

“Instead of running out of money during the middle part of April, it would be in May,” said Presiding Superior Court Judge Theodore E. Millard.

County and court officials have asked the Legislature for money to keep the courts open through June 30, which marks the end of the current budget year. If state money does not materialize, the judges could attempt to order the county to provide funding.

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“We are very much counting on assistance from the state Legislature,” said Supervisor William G. Steiner. “If the funds are not received, we will face an unprecedented constitutional crisis in terms of the threat of a shutdown.”

The financial crisis stems from a 57% reductions in state money for trial courts over the past five years. The cuts, needed to help balance the state budget, prompted the county to increase its funding to the courts.

The state now provides less than 35% of Orange County’s court operations budget. But because of the county’s bankruptcy, officials said the county can no longer fill the gap.

Steiner said the extra $5 million comes from various sources including savings that resulted from more efficient county operations.

“This is the county’s good-faith effort,” Steiner said. “We are committed to aggressively working with the state to fill the gap.”

The county probably will not be able to provide additional money this budget year without making sharp cuts in other areas, Steiner said. “We’ve already gone through that,” he said. “I’m not prepared to further decimate other departments.”

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County and court officials have been working with Orange County’s legislative delegation and the governor’s office over the past few weeks to hammer out the details of a state funding proposal.

“We expect to know something in a few weeks,” Millard said. “We are cautiously optimistic that the state will come forward and meet at least part of its obligation to trial courts of the state.”

Last month, a state judicial council rejected a request by the county for $26 million to keep the local courts running. To save money, the courts have delayed security and computer improvements and not filled vacant positions.