The Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Claudia Wilken, today announced that, due to the successful imposition of budget austerity measures and the deferring of previously scheduled technology projects, the Court is in the position to cancel further furlough days in FY 2013 for Clerk’s Office staff.
“The decision to cut back on scheduled technology projects and to implement other significant cost containment measures was appropriate when weighed against the financial hardships on staff caused by furloughs,” said Wilken. “The employees of the Clerk’s Office are vital to the court’s ability to function, and I am thankful that we have the necessary local authority to shift our funding priorities to accommodate the needs of our court.”
In making the decision, Wilken also weighed the negative impact of furloughs on Court customers, counsel, and key agencies like the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Public Defender. “Sequestration has forced many courts and agencies to make really tough choices,” said Wilken, “and tougher choices lie ahead in FY 2014. For now, however, we fortunately find ourselves able to cancel the remaining four furlough days in this fiscal year. Some of our court units like the Probation Office and the Federal Public Defender still find themselves forced to furlough due to budget cuts, and we will do our best to support them through this challenging time.”
Categorized in: Legal Procedure
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