Florida Court System Being Asked To "Commit Suicide" Says State Chief Justice In Response To Budget Cut Requests; Forsees Foreclosure, Eviction Delays

The Florida Bar News reports:

• Asking the Florida court system to cut its budget by 10 percent next year — on top of 6 percent cuts this year — would be asking the that branch of government to commit suicide, Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Lewis told a key Senate committee last week. [...] That 10 percent reduction, the chief justice said, “is placing an arrow through the heart of the branch. I can tell you the soul of the branch will remain strong and we will continue to strive to serve the people of Florida."

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• Children in foster care, landlords looking to evict tenants, and foreclosure actions would all be delayed, Lewis said. He added it’s even possible those charged with crimes might go free because the courts couldn’t meet speedy trial deadlines.

For more, see Courts foresee staff reductions (30 percent of the workforce is at risk). state budget cuts courts