Tight budget squeezes courts; Judicial Conference says money could run out for civil juries, indigent defense

Article Abstract:

The US Congress has taken 13%, or $336 million, out of the judicial branch's budget request for the 1993 fiscal year, and the Judicial Conference's 1993 spending plan for the federal judiciary will reflect that cut in many ways. These may include a cutoff of civil jury trials for want of money to pay juries by Aug 1992, a hiring freeze on clerks and probation officers, moving out of building space for want of rent money, and no more money to pay 'panel attorneys' for the indigent by Mar 1993. The Judicial Conference will probably request extra appropriations from Congress.

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Lawyers seek scarce budget dollars; administration wants funding cuts for prosecutors, prisons, justice institute

Article Abstract:

The Clinton Administration's proposed budget plans to make cuts in the funding of the federal courts, keep the funding of the Legal Services Corp (LSC) flat for four years and eliminate the State Justice Institute. The LSC asserts that due to the recession, 15% more people than in 1980 qualify as poor, giving the agency an even larger caseload. IOLTA programs, another source of legal aid funding, are down due to low interest rates.

United States. Legal Services Corp., State Justice Institute

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IOLTA earnings down

Article Abstract:

Interest on lawyers' trust accounts (IOLTA) programs are feeling the financial squeeze of lower interest rates and decreasing their donations to legal aid programs. In Jun 1992 the National Assn of IOLTA programs found that 22 of the 35 surveyed states had less IOLTA income than a year ago. These cutbacks come at a time when the recession is forcing more people to obtain advice from legal aid agencies.

IOLTA programs

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