The recent economic woes have been tough on everyone’s budget, and this includes state and municipal governments around the country. The public well being depends on the consistent delivery of essential governmental functions, and when the money simply isn’t there to allow for business as usual, an enormous strain is placed on the system.

Fulton County has proposed its budget for 2010, and under the tentative plan the judicial budget will be slashed by some $53 million. This represents about 25% of the present budget, and leaders say that a cut of this magnitude will have far reaching impact.

The proposed budgetary reduction could force the closure of the courthouse and place enormous stress on the Fulton County jail and the sheriff’s office. Of course legal professionals like judges, prosecutors, and public defenders would be in the crosshairs of these cuts as well. It is estimated that this radically reduced judiciary budget could result in the loss of as many as 1,000 jobs.

Doris Downs is the Chief Superior Court Judge for Fulton County. She and other officials have declared the Fulton County judicial system as being in an “economic state of emergency.”

“This is not something you can adjust to… this is going to dismantle the justice system. These are cuts…that we cannot withstand,” said Downs.

A logical extrapolation to be drawn from this situation is that a county that can’t afford to try and detain law breakers is going to have no choice but to put them back on the street. This is not a very appealing remedy for many Fulton County residents. John Eaves, the Fulton County Commission Chairperson, says that the plan to slash the budget is just that, a proposed plan that is under review, and not a finalized decision.

Source: “Atlanta judicial leaders declare court ‘emergency’“  Associated Press

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