11 Second District Court Employees Laid Off Friday

“Justice delayed is justice denied.” Judges and court administration have been meeting often lately to attempt to find the best most economic ways to continue to serve the public with the small amount of funding they are receiving for the state this year.

Lines in the clerk’s office have been long as of late. Friday I saw lines that were at least two hours long while people waited to file paperwork. Positions in the clerks office have not been filled in an attempt to save money but with the pay being so low it has not be of a great help in resolving the problem of lowered funding from the state.

Positions that were cut Friday were in other areas of the courthouse but the information or effects it might have on the process were not released to the public today. Court employees are working as hard as they can to provide the correct service to the public but more money is needed for more employees.

At present the clerk’s office is 26% down in employees who would provide service to the public and lawyers. The people in those lines are often upset or angry to begin with and being forced to wait for two hours has had the predictable consequence of angry outburst by those in line.

State Legislators must look at ways this January to provide more funding to the legal system in this city to prevent future harm to those working in the clerk’s office and to ensure fair and balanced justice to the voting public in the Bernalillo County.