Chief justice orders reduction in office hours

Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb has ordered circuit court clerks statewide to close their doors to the public for up to 10 hours a week starting next month.
Cobb cited the judicial system's ongoing financial crunch for the move. She anticipates that about 250 of Alabama's 750 circuit court clerk workers will be laid off in September because next year's court system budget has been slashed by more than 10 percent. Fiscal 2012 begins Oct. 1.
"The state's court system is in crisis," Cobb said in her order, issued Monday.
Staff members in each clerk's office will continue to work their regular hours, allowing them to catch up on required duties in anticipation of the upcoming layoffs, Cobb said. Clerks must tell the administrative director of courts what hours their offices will be shuttered and notify the public as well. Clerks also must make arrangements to handle time-sensitive filings and emergency matters — such as arrest warrants, search warrants and temporary restraining orders — when their offices are closed.
The reduced hours, which should be in place by mid-August, will remain in effect until another order is issued revoking them. There are nearly 70 elected circuit court clerks in Alabama; some of them oversee more than one office.
Cobb, who is stepping down Aug. 1, contended that the Legislature has underfunded the state judicial system by $32 million over the past decade. Mandatory across-the-board budget cuts, known as proration, instituted by Gov. Robert Bentley earlier this year "further exacerbated the fragility of the current operations of the court system," Cobb said in her order.
The court system will take another hit in fiscal 2012, according to Cobb, when its budget will be $138 million, or $16 million less than this year.
Cobb said that with 750 workers, circuit court clerk offices are staffed at 65 percent to 70 percent of what is recommended by the National Center for State Courts. The upcoming layoffs will drop that number to 40 percent to 45 percent.
Florence Cauthen, circuit clerk for the 15th Judicial Circuit in Montgomery, said no decision has been made regarding reduced hours for her office, adding that she will consult with the presiding judge on how to proceed.
"We want to be open as much as possible," she said. "We will try to select those hours that will minimize the impact."
Anne-Marie Adams, circuit clerk for the 10th Judicial Circuit in Jefferson County, said her office should have 101 employees, according to the National Center for State Courts manpower formula. She has 62 and expects to be down to 40 as of Sept. 1 because of the 2012 budget cuts. She said the number of jury trials already has been cut in half for the rest of the fiscal year.
Adams said it will take time to figure out how to reduce hours but the main focus will be serving the public. She is not sure what effect Cobb's order will have on the operation of her office.
"This has not been done before to my knowledge," she said. "I really don't have a feel as to whether it will or will not work."
Jody Wise Campbell, circuit clerk for the 20th Judicial Circuit in Baldwin County, said she doesn't expect her office to have to reduce hours, noting that Cobb's order said clerks must cut "up to 10 hours per week."
She said members of the Legislature from Baldwin County won passage of a local law in 2003 adding $15 per case. Money generated from that fee was put away and has helped save jobs in her office.
"That's the only way we've kept our heads above water," Wise Campbell said.
She said her office is supposed to have 41 employees according to the manpower formula. There are currently 30, with 28 funded by the state. She said 18 will be covered by the state during the next fiscal year. She said her office is very busy but will continue stay open for the public.
"I have a lot of great, hard-working employees," Wise Campbell said.