Jury still out on court changes

Re “Judgments about a chief justice,” Dec. 3

The job of the judge is to serve the public. Our ability to do so depends on our insulation from political pressure, on stable and adequate funding to keep courts open, accessible and responsive to public needs and on judicial branch independence.

Over the last decade, the judiciary, led by Chief Justice Ron George, has gained much ground in each of these areas. As a result, the courts now serve the public better than ever before. Yet progress has been difficult. Creation of a strong, self-governing state judiciary, truly co-equal with the other branches, has necessitated the loss of some local court control.

Some judges long for the good old days when counties held the courts’ purse strings. That arrangement, however convenient, led to fiscal uncertainty, inequality among courts and, inevitably, poorer service to the public.

Most judges, including those in Los Angeles, agree that on balance the court system has achieved great progress under George’s leadership. Most important, the public is better served.

JUDGE TERRY FRIEDMAN

Los Angeles Superior Court

Santa Monica

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The article on George and his court unification and state funding of local trial courts was flattering but faulty. Many aspects of this program don’t work, remain half-baked and have increased the costs of court operations statewide.

The demise of the municipal court system took the courts further away from the people. While there were occasional challenges to some judges within the municipal court jurisdictions, there are practically none to sitting Superior Court judges because costs of running a countywide contest are prohibitive in many counties.

Since state trial court funding, there have been increases in fines, fees and surcharges to the public while funding from the state lags.

Although the state administrative office was allocated about 60 positions to carry out this charge more than four years ago, the program is stalled. The state wants the counties to spend millions on their local facilities before the state takes them over.

WILLIAM J. BRENNAN

Laguna Niguel

The writer retired as the chief financial officer of the Orange County Superior Court.