NY Governor Stiffs State Court Judges On Pay Raise Despite Sharp Spike In Caseload; Legal Aid Programs Also Get The Shaft

In Albany, New York, the New York Law Journal reports:

• Governor David A. Paterson praised the Judiciary for making an austere spending request even while the courts confront an influx of foreclosure, personal debt and other cases related to the "greatest economic and fiscal challenge of our lifetime."

• However, Mr. Paterson did not include [in the state budget] a raise for judges, whose salaries have not increased since January 1999, in the spending plan he submitted yesterday to the Legislature.

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• The budget [also] does not contain money, other than that to be provided by the Interest on Lawyer Accounts (IOLA) program, for civil legal services for the poor.

For the story, see Paterson Praises Courts' Budget, Passes on Judges' Raise.