The Iowa Senate has already passed its budget cut bill to de-appropriate over $50 million for the current fiscal year.

Of that $50 million budget cut, under Senate File 3089, is a $4.8 million cut to the Iowa Judicial Branch. In a public letter, State Court Administrator Todd Nuccio claims that about 30 county courthouses would have to close their courtrooms and judicial functions would be eliminated. Assistant Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn is fearful that Greene County could be in that mix. He talks about some of the impacts that the cuts would mean for local residents.

“It means that the average citizen when called to serve on a jury would have to travel to a different county. If people were contesting traffic tickets, for example, they would have to go to a different county. ”

The only criteria that Nuccio stated in the letter to determine what courthouses would lose their courtrooms, was based on the caseload volume in each county. Laehn argues other criteria should be considered including: a courthouses longevity, geographical locations of courthouse to ensure equal access to justice, along with security of the courthouse.

Laehn urges people that don’t want to see this potentially happen within the Greene County Courthouse to contact their state senator, representative and the Governor’s office.

“I would also encourage those who contact their legislators to suggest that additional criteria should be considered. If this budget cut has to occur, we must be more sensible about the criteria we’re using when looking at which courtrooms should stay open in our state.”

Senator Jerry Behn and Representative Chip Baltimore’s contact information can be found below.

Senator Behn’s email: jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov  
Representative Baltimore’s email: chip.baltimore@legis.iowa.gov