| In a strongly worded statement, Chief Justice Ron George criticized the
legislature for failing to fund a $50 million trial court modernization program, calling
the lawmakers' action "no less than a betrayal of trust." The money was caught
up in a deal in which lawmakers sought to trade the fund for the governor's approval of a
plan to pay 100 percent of trial court costs in California's smaller counties.
The modernization program was authorized by the 1997 Trial Court Funding Act, with
monies to be earmarked for technology, education, case management and legal research for
death penalty trials and complex civil litigation.
Trial courts in 49 California counties that unified their operations since the passage
of Proposition 220 would have been eligible to apply for money from the special fund.
"The Judicial branch of government, and most significantly, the public served by
the courts, have fallen victim to infighting between the other two branches of government
on issues unrelated to the effective administration of justice," George said.
"This breach of faith is particularly incomprehensible in a year of bountiful
revenue to the state."
George said he will seek to have the funding approved when the new legislative session
begins. |
