Chief Justice Warns Sequestration Cuts Already Threatening Public Safety

[ashling]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/01/01/3109311/john-roberts-sequestration/

Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, in his annual Year-End Report on the State of the Federal Judiciary, blasted the 2011 Budget Control Act’s automatic “sequestration” federal spending cuts and warned that the cuts to the federal court system’s budget “pose a genuine threat to public safety.”

Roberts, appointed to the Supreme Court in 2005 by President George W. Bush, listed “adequate funding for the Judiciary” as the “single most important issue facing the courts” and offered a Dickensian look at the federal judiciary past, present, and future.

ROBERTS: Sequestration cuts have affected court operations across the spectrum. There are fewer court clerks to process new civil and bankruptcy cases, slowing the intake procedure and propagating delays throughout the litigation process. There are fewer probation and pretrial services officers to protect the public from defendants awaiting trial and from offenders following their incarceration and release into the community. There are fewer public defenders available to vindicate the Constitution’s guarantee of counsel to indigent criminal defendants, which leads to postponed trials and delayed justice for the innocent and guilty alike. There is less funding for security guards at federal courthouses, placing judges, court personnel, and the public at greater risk of harm.

[atreides1]

1. It's all about saving money...right?

All the things he mentioned are those things that the TeaPublicans don't really support...just like they don't really support the US Constitution...unless they can use it to further their own agenda!!!

[malaise]

2. About time he spoke

After all the Courts are part of the government as in the state and the states.
Due process of law is part of the Constitution so the Courts and the Judicial branch had better receive adequate funding.

Dems should make this a huge issue for the 2014 elections - contrary to the corporate agenda, justice cannot be privatized.

[former9thward]

4. About time he spoke?

He has had the same criticisms every year since he has been on the Court. Nobody listens.

[edhopper]

3. Maybe he should have thought of this

before he let his partisan myopia drive his vote on Citizens United and the VRA.
You reap what you sow mother fucker.

[ashling]

5. Bingo!