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The Courts Support the Alabama State Bar
Court Funding Emphasis
Open and accessible courts is the goal for the Alabama Administrative Office of
Courts to ensure that everyone’s legal rights are respected. The same recession
that has led the Legislature to reduce access to our justice system has increased
the numbers of people who need it.
The courts are essential to a free society and belong to everybody. Court funding
cutbacks affect the health and well-being of the entire community. Courts are important
to families. Courts provide an impartial forum for resolving situations without
undue delay so that people can get on with their lives. Commerce would grind to
a halt if businesses could not rely on the courts to enforce contracts and settle
disputes.
As a result of funding cuts, the courts have been forced into hiring freezes, staff
layoffs, imposing increases in filing fees, and reducing the hours when circuit
clerk’s offices are open to the public. If these trends continue, courts will lack
the manpower and other resources they need to process cases in a timely and efficient
manner resulting in more and more instances of justice being delayed and denied.
Further cuts may delay criminal trials and increase civil backlogs.
Justice is in jeopardy. We must keep our courts open and accessible.
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