Los Angeles Superior Court to Lay Off 350 Employees

The L.A. Times is reporting that the Los Angeles Superior Court will lay off another 350 employees and "restructure" more than 50 courtrooms to address budget cuts. Statewide, court budgets have been cut by $652 million. In Los Angeles County, this has resulted in the loss of more than 500 employees over the last two years alone. Additional cuts will focus on courtroom staffing, including courtroom assistants and court reporters. According to a March 5, 2012, memo from Presiding Judge Lee Smalley Edmon to all judicial officers and court staff, "Court-employed court reporters would no longer be available for civil trials; They would be available for civil law-and-motion calendars on a part-time basis, and they would be available in family law courts."  

The L.A. Times article is here.  Judge Smalley Edmon's memo is here.