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Connecticut

Overview

  • Connecticut’s Judiciary is primarily state funded.  Their total FY11 general fund appropriation of $499 million was reduced to $486 million for FY12, taking into account a $25 million cut to the appropriation originally approved.
  • Their FY12 appropriation includes money to fund a special Intensive Adult Probation initiative. Part of the intent of the effort is to reduce the prison population, in an effort to reduce overall costs to the state. The concept is that the increased costs to the Judicial Branch’s budget would be more than offset by the reduced number of occupied prison beds (resulting in a reduction to the Dept of Correction’s budget).  In FY12, the Judiciary will be decreasing the number of judges and the number of staff persons and will need to reduce the amount spent on operating expenses.
  • In FY12, the Judiciary will be decreasing the number of judges and the number of staff persons and will need to reduce the amount spent on operating expenses.
  • To reduce spending, the Connecticut Judiciary will delay filling judicial vacancies and vacancies in the clerks’ offices and in judicial support positions.  They will reduce the use of retired judges.  Salaries of judges and staff have been frozen.  A hard hiring freeze has been implemented.  A labor concession agreement between the State and a coalition of all State employee bargaining units, including those in the Judicial Branch, provides for a 4-year no layoff guarantee for bargaining unit members.
  • It is anticipated that various court services will be delayed.
  • Technology initiatives include e-filing, an electronic document management system, e-payment of fees and fines and the videoconferencing of some hearings.
  • Under the direction of the Chief Justice, the Judicial Branch has an ongoing strategic plan that helps direct and ensure technology enhancements to maintain and improve court services. The implementation of these new technologies has, to a degree, offset the negative impact of staff reductions through attrition.
  • In 2008, the Connecticut Judicial Branch initiated its current and ongoing strategic plan to improve public service and trust. Through the strategic planning process, Judicial Branch committees and workgroups researched, developed, and implemented hundreds of recommendations and or best practices to increase efficiency. Some examples from the last year include:

    • For matters involving presently incarcerated individuals, the Branch expanded the use of videoconferencing equipment and utilized a centralized prisoner transport system to maximize limited resources, limit prisoner transport, and promote safety;

    • The Branch mandated electronic filing of cases for attorneys in all Civil and Small Claims cases, to reduce the costs associated with certain data entry functions and paper retention;

    • The Branch implemented a new formula for summoning jurors, which improved improve juror utilization rates;

    • The Branch installed telephonic translation services (Language Line) in clerk’s offices, probation offices, Support Enforcement Services sites and Court Service Centers to provide a necessary service in a more cost-efficient manner.

  • The Connecticut Judiciary is considering a plan to consolidate the work performed at certain of their smaller judicial locations. The Branch presently has operations in 47 courthouses and 44 other staff locations. It is hoped that consolidation will result in efficiencies by allowing the Branch to use their remaining staff more efficiently.
  • At this point, there has not been a decline in the Connecticut Judiciary’s ability to provide access and timely justice to the citizens of the state. They hope that they will not see a decline for the rest of the fiscal year. 

Reports and Articles

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