November 6, 2009

The Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court warned today courts across the state may be forced to close for several weeks due to budget concerns.

Chief Justice Robert Davis sent a letter to court employees today. Chief Justice Davis said the Judicial Branch faces an $8 million shortfall, and if the funds are not restored, the courts will "have no choice" but to close courts and place employees on involuntary unpaid leave. The closures would take place in the weeks of February 15, March 15, April 5, May 10 and 24, and June 7, 2010.

The Judicial Branch has made other cost cutting measures, including;

. Hiring freeze. This cost savings measure has offset $365,000 of the $15.9 million shortfall. If vacancy rates for the first half of the fiscal year are maintained, the Judicial Branch will have saved a total of$1.2 million by June 30, 2010.

. Elimination of Temporary Part-Time Hours. This cost savings measure has offset $800,000 of the shortfall so far. There were 93 of our employees left without jobs by this measure.

. Significant reduction of the use of retired judges. This cost savings measure has offset $96,000 of the shortfall so far. As a practical matter, this measure means that district courts are not able to look to retired judges to help keep pace with their dockets. Any exceptions are limited to extreme circumstances.