Due to the state’s budget crisis, the Superior Court on Elizabeth Street could be open just three days a week, according to a plan unveiled Friday by the state’s judicial branch.
Chief Court Administrator Judge Barbara M. Quinn submitted a 36-page document to lawmakers detailing how the judicial branch will deal with cuts needed to balance the state’s budget. The plan is a proposal at this point. It needs to be approved by state lawmakers.
The judicial branch proposes to layoff 452 employees.
It is not clear whether there will be layoffs in Derby’s state court, according to Thomas Siconolfi, the executive director of administrative services for the judicial branch.
The plans are “an outline” for how the judicial branch could save the requested $38 million in their budget.
Siconolfi said he hopes the state employee unions and the state government can make a deal before then, and avert the reductions.
“Our hope, in the end, is that it doesn’t happen,” Siconolfi said.
A copy of Judge Quinn’s proposal is posted below. The Derby summary is on page 20.
According to Judge Quinn’s plan, criminal and motor vehicle cases would be shifted to the state court in Milford. Child support cases now heard in Derby would be transferred to Bridgeport.
The Derby court could become a three-day-a-week court to be used for minor criminal infractions and small claim actions.
The Derby court had been on the chopping block in 2009. Local leaders, including Mayor Anthony Staffieri, and state lawmakers held a rally in June 2009 to save the court house. At the time, it was estimated that 11,000 people pass through the court’s doors each month.
Staffieri issued a statement Friday saying the plan will hurt Derby:
“Businesses who provide services will have less traffic and their revenues could suffer. In this economy with many businesses struggling, any future reduction in revenue will hurt.
The fact that Derby residents, involved in criminal and court-required motor vehicle matters, will now have to travel to Milford, is an inconvenience and a travel expense to them.
The greatest lost will be to those who are part of the Judicial system. Justice will take longer. Court cases will have greater delays.
Those employees of the Judicial Department who will now no longer have a job, will realize what the rest of society has had to deal with these past years.
I believe the concession package Gov. Malloy negotiated with state employees is far better than unemployment and serious disruption of the system of justice which is one of the major staples of our free society.”
While Derby’s court survived, four state courthouses and a juvenile detention facility will close. Court officials said the cuts will cause a backlog of civil cases in the system.
“More than anything, the impending layoffs will severely compromise our ability to provide essential services to the residents of the State of Connecticut,” Judge Quinn said in a letter Friday to state Sen. Donald Williams and state Rep. Christopher Donovan.
The court house in Derby is something of an economic engine for the law offices and restaurants on Elizabeth Street. The city’s parking authority has parking meters downtown targeted mainly at the constant flow of out-of-towners compelled to use the court Monday through Friday.
Gov. Dannel Malloy formally announced Friday that the small DMV licensing center at the Derby train station will close as a result of the budget gap. The Milford licensing center will close as well.
WTNH first reported the Derby closing Wednesday. Readers on the Valley Indy Facebook page were not happy.
“Ugh! I loved going there. It is only open a couple of days. Give me a break!” Tracy Corraro said.
Ken Hughes, president of the Derby Board of Aldermen, also criticized the governor.
“Why the governor didn’t start his term by simply cutting spending is beyond me, and beyond reason. Tax and spend,” said Hughes, a Republican.
Across the state, the proposed judicial branch layoffs include:
- 167 temporary court clerks
- 53 temporary court recording monitors
- 49 adult probation officers
- 34 judicial marshals
- 29 office clerks
Click here for a CTNewsJunkie article about the proposed statewide court cuts.
