Gavel Grab

William Robinson, president of the American Bar Association, told an Australian newspaper, The Age, about the dangers of cutting funding for court systems. Robinson warned that it ”endangers the community’s access to justice and jeopardises the fundamental principles of democracy.”

According to the article, Robinson said that US courts were in a “dire situation,” as budget cuts have forced some U.S. court systems to shut down, and led to a problem in managing cases.

Although unfamiliar with the Australian court system, Robinson said the U.S. court system affected everyone, with 42 states cutting their court budgets in recent years:

“This is not just a court issue or a judge’s issue; it is about needing the courts of the country open to allow for the peaceful resolution of disputes. The situation has become rather dire in the US, across the country.”

The article cited California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye’s opposition to Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to decrease the state court budget by 15%, which would be a fourth consecutive year of cuts.

Tags: California