Court workers face furloughs: some could see up to 58 days without pay.

Proposed state budget cuts would have devastating impacts on Florida courts and their ability to resolve cases for citizens, Chief Justice Fred Lewis told a key legislative committee.

Lewis testified February 19 that a 5.9 percent additional cut to the courts' budget, to be concentrated in April, May, and June, would mean "rolling furloughs" of court staff and long delays in handling cases, particularly on the civil dockets.

"We're not down to skin and bones, we're talking about amputation," Lewis told the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee. "... I recognize the economic hard times. We are willing to be a partner [in state budget cuts] but we do not want to be the sacrificial lambs."

But Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, chair of the committee, said the panel has little choice but to make painful reductions in virtually every area it oversees, including the courts. In polite but firm tones that marked the back and forth exchanges during the meeting, Crist said the committee was given a budget allotment and had no ability to increase that or find other revenue sources.

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(Two days later, however, Crist bristled that some judges across the state warned the legislative cuts would severely hamper court operations. See story page 8. State Courts Administrator Lisa Goodner said after both meetings that detailed discussions are continuing with both House and Senate budget staffers.)

Crist said the committee's priority was to avoid cuts to the Department of Corrections that could lead to early releases for prisoners or closing juvenile justice facilities that could lead to the release or lack of places to house juvenile defendants.

"Everyone is coming up and saying the same thing, 'If we have cuts, there's going to be a crisis,'" Crist said. "Unfortunately, we are faced right now with some significant shortfalls. We can't print money; this committee doesn't have taxing authority.... We haven't got enough for the needs.

"The recommendations from the staff will not shut the government down, they will not shut the court system down. They will not cause the state not to provide justice. What they will do is shrink the process, things will happen slower. There will be longer lines.... It may mean layoffs, it may mean longer dockets, it may mean longer waits for those banks that need to get foreclosures. It may mean a slower process. It won't mean early release or shutting down juvenile facilities or lowering law enforcement."

Chief Justice Lewis, accompanied by Second District Court of Appeal Chief Judge Stevan Northcutt, chair of the District Court of Appeal Budget Commission, and Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Belvin Perry...