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Washington

Overview 

  • The Washington Judiciary is primarily a locally funded court system.  The vast majority of funding for the trial courts is provided at the local level. All noted service level reductions have been implemented by the local courts.
  • Washington’s state appropriation was increased from $70.3 million in FY11 to $74.5 million in FY12.  The Washington courts will maintain the same number of judges but reduce the number of staff positions and spending on operating costs.
  • To reduce spending, the state AOC has implemented furloughs, staffing reductions, operational expenditure reductions and, reductions to monies passed on to local courts (grants).  Salaries of Judges have been frozen.  Salaries of staff have been reduced. 
  • State AOC service level reduction impacts include: reduced capacity to contract with guardianship providers; reduced educational opportunities to trial and appellate judges; reduced budget and accounting support services; reduced direct trial court assistance (elimination of handbooks, reduced policy and governance support).
  • Trial court service level reductions impacts include: reduced assistance for pro se litigants; reduced or eliminated security; reduced mental health, chemical dependency evaluations; reduced direct supervision; elimination of unified family court; elimination of drug courts; and elimination of arbitration services for child support cases.
  • The Washington courts are implementing e-filing and e-citations.
  • Access to timely (judicial) services have been severely impacted due to budget reductions, both at the state and local levels. Examples include:
    • reductions to counter staff and phone staff (as well as other reductions) prevent pro se litigants from understanding the process;
    • alternatives to incarceration have been drastically reduced or eliminated;
    • counseling services have been reduced or eliminated;
    • reduced interpreter services;
    • increased continuation of cases;
    • increased case load for public defenders resulting from budget reduction.
Reports and Articles
Gavel to Gavel
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