News Release

December 3, 2009

 

Contact: Steve Davis, Court Communications Officer, (515)725-8058

State Courts Closed Friday Due to Budget Cuts

 
Des Moines, December 3, 2009—Friday, December 4, the courts in all 99 Iowa counties, the Iowa Court of Appeals and the Iowa Supreme Court, will be closed and all court personnel including judges and magistrates will take unpaid leave. This closure is the first of 10 court closure days scheduled through the end of June, all of which are part of an $11.4 million reduction in the judicial branch's operating expenses necessitated by the state's severe financial problems. In addition to the court closures and unpaid leave, the judicial branch cut its workforce last month by 9.3%, an action that included 105 layoffs, the elimination of 100 vacant staff positions, and the reduced hours of 58 employees. 

 

"The reduction of our workforce and court closure days will cripple the court's ability to hear and resolve cases in a timely manner," Chief Justice Marsha Ternus said. "Because of the cuts, there will be long delays, fewer court services and reduced public access to justice. These problems are undesirable but unavoidable under the circumstances. We can no longer afford to provide the level of court services and access to justice that Iowans deserve and have come to expect."

 

"On closure days, some judges and magistrates will be available to handle emergency matters," said Chief Justice Ternus. "Also, any litigant facing a deadline for filing a case or document on a court closure day may file the next day the courts are open for business. These safeguards will help minimize the impact of the budget cuts on the public." 

 

"The state's financial problems are taking a disproportionate toll on the court system," Chief Justice Ternus continued. "The judicial branch has laid off more employees and imposed more days of unpaid leave than most state offices and departments, including the regents. We have no reserve funds to tap and no programs to eliminate. We have people¯employees and judges who are the life blood of the court system, directly providing the court services Iowans need."

 

The remaining closures days are scheduled for December 24, December 31, January 15, February 15, March 12, March 26, April 2, May 28, and June 18.

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2009

Iowa Supreme Court

1111 East Court Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50319

515-281-3952