Criminal law section sets out to find solutions.

When household finances get tight, you don't make ends meet by paying 90 percent of the mortgage.

And when it comes to the gamut of services funded by state government, the justice system and related agencies are more like the mortgage payment than dinner out and a movie, which can be trimmed from a tight budget.

That was one of the conclusions from an ad hoc group of lawyers, judges, and state officials who met recently in Tallahassee at the invitation of the Bar's Criminal Law Section. The budget "summit" was called to identify problems with the justice system caused by recent cutbacks, and look for solutions to preserve and restore funding for the third branch of government.

"The entire system appears, from anecdotal evidence, to be spiraling downward for the reason the needs cannot be met," said former Bar President Hank Coxe, who moderated the meeting. "The whole system is going to suffer if budgetary problems aren't addressed because the whole system slows down."

Criminal Law Section Chair Donnie Murrell said the section wants to help solve the crisis in the justice system and feels it can serve as a clearinghouse and collection point for information, both to educate the public and legislators about the needs of the courts, including prosecutors, public defenders, police, and prisons officials, and to suggest solutions.

"Essentially what we're looking for from the Criminal Law Section is how we can help you with the funding crisis in the criminal justice system," Murrell told the group. "We thought the lobbying arm of The Florida Bar could be of some service, but before they can become involved, we need to know what you're asking for."

Murrell noted that the ABA's Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense will pay the Spangenberg Group, a consulting company, to help gather pertinent information and assemble a final report. He also said the section was planning monthly meetings of the informal group until the end of the year, when it hopes to have proposals to present to the Bar Board of Governors.

There were several items on which participants seemed to have a consensus:

* Recent budget cuts--which averaged about 10 percent from the 2007-08 budget to the 2008-09 budget--combined with the intent of the state to withhold an additional 4 percent from the current budget, means many agencies won't have enough money to meet all of their core functions. "We lost all fat six to 10 years ago," said Mark Zadra, assistant commissioner...