By Jamal Thalji and Colleen Jenkins, Times Staff Writers
Published February 21, 2008

Judges across Florida say the state's budget crunch will shutter courthouses for weeks this spring as thousands of court employees are sent home without pay.

At risk, they say, is a halt to all civil litigation for those weeks, such as foreclosures and divorces. All that would be heard is priority family law cases and critical criminal proceedings.

For the entire article see: http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/21/State/Cost_cutting_may_clos.shtml

Don't retirees bring a lot of money with them to Florida? If it can happen there, could it happen here?

JAS

If California would adopt this approach, then maybe the prison system problem could be solved.

I was just wondering why my friend from across the pond was looking at news articles from Florida - ready to retire so soon?

The notion that courts could shut down for a lack of finances is appalling--similarly that another state (Oregon?) a few years ago was basically requiring prosecutors to work for nothing. I suspect this article was more than a little alarmist, but it shows how fragile state budgets are or can become.


While I hope that retirement is in the future for all of us, personally, I can't say that The Sunshine State has any draw.

JAS