Cutbacks Have Some Courts Dismissing Criminal Cases

14:32

November 16, 2011

Brian Kammer, head of the Georgia Resource Center, which represents indigent death penalty defendants in post-conviction proceedings, looks out from his office in Atlanta. State funding for the Georgia Resource Center has fallen by about $250,000 over three years. (AP)

Budget cuts are hitting the country's courtrooms hard.

In Georgia, courts have dismissed indictments against people accused of violent crimes, including tossing out murder charges.
A family law attorney in San Francisco is now advising wealthier clients to settle disputes outside of court because the system is just so slow.
In New York, judges have been ordered to halt court proceedings at 4:30 PM sharp to limit overtime pay.
In New Hampshire, all civil cases were put on hold for a year.

The result is a legal system in crisis, according to a recent report by the American Bar Association which asked its members to assess the impact of cutbacks on the work they do as judges, district attorneys and public defenders.

American Bar Association

Guests

Bill Robinson, president of the American Bar Association
Judith Kaye, an attorney at the law firm of Skadden Arps in New York City and former chief justice of the New York State Court of Appeals

This segment aired on November 16, 2011.