Judicial Council to consider plan to spend $50M to deal with case delays

The Judicial Council will consider a plan Friday to distribute the second half of a one-time $50 million 2020-21 budget item to deal with case delays caused by court shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state approved the money in July to help courts cope with additional costs associated with the shutdowns and protecting against the coronavirus, and $25 million was allocated at the time. The remaining funds were held back.

"This funding provides essential relief, both to Californians seeking access to justice and to trial courts in their efforts to mitigate COVID-19 related case backlogs that have developed due to the pandemic," council staff wrote in a report.

"Judicial Council staff will be required to report on COVID-19 related backlog data and distribute the remaining $25 million as part of the normal monthly distribution process to the trial courts," the proposal added.

The plan is recommended by San Diego County Superior Court Judge David M. Rubin, chair of the Judicial Branch Budget Committee, and Fresno County Superior Court Judge Jonathan B. Conklin, chair of the Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee.

-- Craig Anderson