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Alabama

Overview

  • Alabama trial courts are funded primarily by the state. Its appropriation was reduced from $152 million in FY11 to $138.9 million in FY12. Its FY11 appropriation had been reduced during the fiscal year. As a result, even though they will be able to maintain the same number of judges, they will need to reduce the number of staff positions and will need to reduce the amount spent on operating costs.
  • To respond to budget reductions, Alabama has had to lay off staff, delay filling judicial support positions and reduce the use of retired judges.
  • As of October 1, 2011, the Circuit Clerk's offices will be staffed at around the 45% level and AOC will be staffed at approximately the number as in1996. There have been no merit increases in 3 years; insurance coverage and employee percentage of retirement have increased; the salary of some positions has been reduced. This has caused low morale and a feeling of being overwhelmed among officials and staff. As a result, clerk’s staff will take longer to process cases and paperwork; information will not be timely entered into their case management system. The public will have a longer wait for cases to be heard and/or processed. The collection of court costs and fines going to the state general fund and to non-profit agencies as well as individuals will be delayed or reduced.
  • Alabama may have to close some annex court sites. After October 1, 2011, they may need to reduce operating hours in order to provide administrative time for officials and staff. The reduction in judicial education will reduce information sharing and discussion. Alabama has for years been operating an e-filing and an electronic document management system in the civil jurisdiction. They also have implemented e-citation, e-payment of fees and fines, and videoconferencing of hearings. They have now developed the e-filing and electronic document management system for statewide application in criminal cases and will soon have juvenile jurisdiction completed.
  • It is only because of technology that their offices have been able to manage with the reduced staffing levels. Also, Alabama receives revenue from the sale of data and the use of efiling and court records by attorneys. They fear that the drastic reductions in their budget will make it difficult to continue to provide updated equipment and program applications and enhancements.
  • In attempts to increase efficiency in the courts, Alabama has implemented enhanced caseflow management programs: they have worked to develop training and on-site assistance on good case management models including the performance of on-site evaluation and written recommendations. They have also continued to implement enhancements and new development of technology and provided on-site training in the use of these programs (which includes training to attorneys).
  • Alabama now has drug courts in 66 of our 67 counties and have encouraged the use of drug courts, mental health courts, veterans’ courts, community corrections and court referral programs to reduce prison overcrowding and to create community alternatives. They have done training with all judges who sentence felons to help with more consistency in sentencing practices.
  • Alabama has formed a committee to examine legislation that would provide additional flexibility to the Supreme Court in moving judgeships from one area to another and to make their courts a "one tier" system. Some legislators have expressed interest in these ideas. Several excellent sentencing bills were proposed last year which will hopefully be re-introduced in FY12 that will reduce prison overcrowding and enhance local alternatives.
  • Their budget situation has put the Alabama courts in a worse position than a year ago in that their already reduced resources are being further stretched to the breaking point. Also, the 2011 legislative session proposed a number of bills that dramatically affected all state employees. While most of these did not pass, they served to further reduce staff morale and urged many long time employees to retire. Not only are the clerk’s offices left with virtually fewer than half the needed number of employees, but those remaining have less experience and more responsibilities than ever before. Since both judges and clerks offices were affected, in addition to the AOC, timeliness and easy access will not be easily met.

Reports and Articles

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