Los Angeles Superior Court Lays off Employees

Calling funding shortfalls facing courts statewide "an undermining of the justice system," the Los Angeles Superior Court's presiding judge said more than 150 employees will be laid off today and nearly 275 others will be affected by budget cutbacks.

"It will have an impact on every aspect of our operations,'' Judge Lee Smalley Edmon said during a news conference at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

A total of 431 court employees will be adversely affected as reductions instate financial support for the California judicial branch force the Los Angeles Superior Court to cut its budget by $30 million, with an additional $18 million remaining to be slashed based on last year's funding cuts, Edmon said.

"We can't afford further cuts," she said. "It's an undermining of our justice system."

The cutbacks will affect nearly one in every 10 employees of the Los Angeles Superior Court, the nation's largest trial court system. The affected employees were being notified today and are being given two weeks paid administrative leave, Edmon said.

Court officials said 157 people are being laid off and 108 employees will lose 40 percent of their salaries when they are moved from a five- to three-day-per-week schedule.

Another 86 workers will lose between 5 percent and 40 percent of their salaries when they are reclassified to lower-level positions, while 80 others are being transferred to new jobs, according to a court statement.

The cuts include elimination of courtroom staffing in 56 courtrooms, elimination of the court's Informal Juvenile Traffic courts, reduction of court reporter services and elimination of 110 management, clerical and administrative positions outside the courtrooms.

"We know this is a difficult time for our employees and our hearts go out to them and their families," Edmon said.

She said an employee who apparently died of natural causes -- his body was found early this morning near the loading dock area of the Mosk Courthouse, one floor above her office -- was not affected by the layoffs, nor was another employee who complained of heart palpitations. Nevertheless, Edmon said, she knows the current times are stressful for all court workers.

Judges sitting in courtrooms targeted for closure will be assigned to other tasks such as mandatory settlement conferences with attorneys and parties to try and resolve cases before trial, Edmon said. She said judges with those duties do not require as large a staff as trial courtrooms.

She also said the Mosk court is increasing its ability to issue temporary restraining orders on an emergency basis.

"There is no question in my mind that we are going to be able to keep our judicial officers busy," she said.

Edmon said she knew of at least one judge who has left the bench in frustration over the predicaments.

"It's just a perfect storm," Edmon said.

Assistant Presiding Judge David Wesley said Thursday that the present cutbacks will not be the last.

"There will be more cuts next year, and their impacts will be severe," he said. "The current cuts already affect the core work of (the) court -- the judge in the courtroom -- while significant budget shortfalls remain. Given the significance of our responsibilities to protect public safety and children, the next round of reductions will further limit our ability to hear civil cases."

Representatives from the American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees planned to meet affected workers on the steps of the Mosk Courthouse to offer resources and aid, according to a statement released on behalf of the union.

"My heart breaks for the workers being laid off ... and for their families,'' said AFSCME President Gwen Jones, whose union represents many court employees.

"Many of them have worked for decades in our courts, serving the public, and losing this job is devastating," she said. "But I am even more saddened for the people of Los Angeles because truly what is happening here is an end to timely justice in our city."

Hugo Carrillo, an AFSCME executive board member who attended the news conference, said the layoffs appear to be unfairly weighted against regular employees while having far less impact on court management.

John Clarke, executive officer and clerk of the Los Angeles Superior Court, countered that many non-union employees are affected by the layoffs and that managers will be heavily affected if future cuts take place as anticipated.