San Luis Obispo Superior Court is feeling the pinch as Gov. Gavin Newsom tightens the state’s purse strings to address California’s anticipated $46.8 billion budget deficit.
Newsom signed a budget in July that cut $97 million from state trial courts for fiscal year 2024-25. Now, SLO Superior Court must scale back services in response to a permanent budget deficit of roughly $1 million for the local court system.
“The courts experienced similar budget cuts in the Great Recession [of 2008] and at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,” SLO court administration told New Times via email. “The judicial branch has a workload formula to determine the adequate amount of funding needed to sustain the trial courts. Any amount below that is unsustainable and will result in service level reductions or increased backlogs.”
Trial courts aren’t alone in facing dwindling coffers. The state budget also called for a commensurate reduction of 7.95 percent for institutions like the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, Habeas Corpus Resource Center, and the Judicial Council.
In SLO, the pared down budget impacted phone hours and the civil attorney line starting Dec. 9. The public phone hours are now active in the SLO and Paso Robles courts Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The Grover Beach court will take calls Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 3 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.
The civil attorney line, which was used by lawyers to access tentative rulings, has been eliminated altogether. The public phone line is the alternative. Tentative rulings are now available online at slo.courts.ca.gov under “Online Services.”
“Consolidating the attorney and public lines results in equal access to justice between attorneys and self-represented litigants,” court administration said. “The change in phone service levels will result in increased wait times. By consolidating our phone lines and reducing our phone hours, it is our intention that staff will have more time to process documents needed to progress or resolve court cases.”
The clerk’s office counter hours are also taking a hit starting Feb. 3, 2025. The public can access the counter at the SLO and Grover Beach courts Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and at the Paso Robles court Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
The court hasn’t filled existing employee vacancies since July 1, 2024. According to administration, the court is holding vacancies to balance the budget. Some positions critical to ongoing operations or backed by grant funds could be filled. Most recently, administration said, funds from Senate Bill 170 or the Budget Act of 2021 filled a court reporter position.
The voluntary time-off program offered to court employees serves as an added budget-saving measure. The scheme gives them the option to take unpaid leave—meaning from Dec. 23, 2024, to Jan. 3, 2025, the court will run with fewer staff members. Restraining orders and other urgent issues with statutory deadlines will be handled on schedule, but other judicial calendars will be reduced.
SLO Superior Court is one of several systems racing to put steps in place to avoid layoffs and mandatory furloughs thanks to the funding cut.
“The state of California is facing a multi-year budget deficit,” court administration said. “Every court in California received a budget cut proportionate to their share of state workload. Many courts are experiencing similar service reductions and/or have laid off staff or instituted mandatory furloughs.”
The Daily Journal reported that the budget slash comes at a time when the Los Angeles County Superior Court—the nation’s largest trial court—continues to recover from case backlogs that piled up during the pandemic.
Orange County Superior Court implemented cost-saving measures months ago in anticipation of the painful cuts, hoping to maintain service levels in the face of less funding.
SLO County residents now have the chance to weigh in. The court is seeking input from the public about the stripped-down service levels. Comments must be submitted either via email to admin@slo.courts.ca.gov or dropped off to the court at 1035 Palm St., room 385, SLO by 5 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2025. Δ
This article appears in Dec 12-22, 2024.