Title
Title
Trial Court Budget | $60 Million One-Time COVID-Driven Caseload Backlog Funding (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Judicial Branch Budget Committee recommends approval of two separate allocations from the $60 million one-time COVID-driven caseload backlog funding included in the 2021 Budget Act based on the most recent filings and disposition data available for identifying backlog. This funding is for trial courts to specifically address backlogs and workload delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, with the funding available for expenditure or encumbrance through the 2022-23 fiscal year.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Judicial Branch Budget Committee recommends that the Judicial Council:
1. Approve the updated data-driven methodology that utilizes both filings and dispositions by case type to calculate a clearance rate. This clearance rate is used to identify court backlogs for allocating the $60 million one-time COVID-driven caseload backlog funding.
2. Allocate half of the funding, $30 million, in October 2021 based on the most updated filings and clearance data available through March 2021.
3. Allocate the second half of the funding, $30 million, in January 2022 based on the most recent filings and clearance data available at that time.
4. In the event there is future funding for COVID-driven caseload backlog, adopt the Trial Court Budget Committee recommendation to include complex case types (e.g., asbestos and complex) in the data used for the allocation methodology.
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Speakers
Speakers
Hon. David M. Rubin, Chair, Judicial Branch Budget Committee
Hon. Jonathan B. Conklin, Chair, Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee
Mr. Zlatko Theodorovic, Budget Services
Ms. Leah Rose-Goodwin, Business Management Services