Former N.C. Chief Justice I. Beverly Lake Jr. told business leaders today that while state government is in a budget crisis now, the state judicial system has been in a severe financial crisis for decades.
"This is due entirely to a protracted, gross, and yes, unconstitutional underfunding of our Judicial System by our Legislature," Lake told the Triangle Business Leader Associates at the Sheraton Hotel.
He said the judicial branch's share of government spending has declined from 2.8 percent to 2.1 percent of overall state spending since he stepped down as chief justice in 2006. The signs of the system fraying are everywhere, he said, reports Rob Christensen.
Lake voiced support for a new law, that would give the judicial branch new authority to set its own priority in how it spends the available funds.
"A national survey recently conducted reveals no other state in which the court system’s budget is restricted the way it is in North Carolina," said Lake.
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Re: Lake: Judicial system chronically underfunded
The lawyers seems to be getting by fine. Why not the courts?
Raise the cost of court. My friend just paid his lawyer $54,000 for his contested divorce. Wonder what the court costs were?