Orange County to close courts one day a month

Orange County will close its courts every third Wednesday starting next month as a cost-saving measure, a spokeswoman said today.

The closures are scheduled to begin Aug. 19 and continue through the fiscal year, with two dates in December — the 16th and the 30th — to make up for no days off in July, said court spokeswoman Carole Levitzky.

Most of the court’s 1,700 employees will not receive pay on those days, which would account for an annual loss of about 4.62% of their income. Judges, as appointed or elected officials, must still be paid, but they can opt to forgo their salaries on those days, Levitzky said.

Depending on whether the state budget is passed, there may be some limited court services, for example, possibly arraignment court, provided on those days, Levitzky said.

Orange County Superior Court is hoping to save millions of dollars with the once-a-month closures, she said. Salary and benefits account for about 60% of the court’s $264-million budget, which is primarily state-funded, she said. She added that the budget for next year has been significantly reduced from that figure.

It’s unclear how court bailiffs and security officers, who are not considered court employees, will be affected by the closures as the buildings may still remain open with limited operations, county sheriff's spokesman John McDonald said.

-- Tami Abdollah

Comments

[mike]

are the Judges taking a pay cut like the rest of us????

[Kathy Skelly]

Living expenses are universal, regardless of rank or income. The legal-financial pay structure needs to be changed so that everyone shares in the sacrifices. Those who are not a highly appointed or elected official make constant adjustments for the most basic things like housing, water, and food. The pain should be spread across-the-board and not just certain groups of employees.

[steve]

Let me see how this will play out: all the lower paid workers will take the day off and a pay cut, but the judges will just get an extra 12 days off a year......and the sherifs will just come in to an empty building or be reassigned to work somewhere else,.....so tell me again where is the savings?