Walker's court cuts, claims don't hold up under scrutiny

Milwaukee County Exec Scott Walker has used his current budget proposal to beat up on the court system and state government. Basically, his claim is that the courts don't work hard enough and could absorb a 25% cut. He's also hacked off that court system is really a state system but paid for by the county.

It's always easy to beat up on people on the public payroll, and courts are none too popular. But Walker, who's also using his phony "tax freeze" budget (which simply doesn't make $27-million in pension payments) to run for governor, has been a little fast and loose with the facts. (Imagine that!)

Story Hill neighborhood's website, Hood Happpenings, reports that some of Walker's proposed cuts would violate state law:

Walker seeks to abolish court positions required by law
Milwaukee, Waukesha caseloads the same

Oct. 10 -- County Executive Scott Walker's proposed courts cuts include two positions and a library required by state law, records show.

Walker would fund just two assistant chief deputy clerks, defying a state law that requires the county to have four.

Walker has proposed cutting court staff by 25%.

Walker also proposes to eliminate the county's law library, which the office of the district court administrator says is also required by law.

The library, called the Legal Resource Center, "is the sole source of forms for pro se litigants [those who handle their own cases without a lawyer]in the Courthouse," according to the office of court administrator's report on the impact of Walker's proposed cuts.

Meanwhile, a state study of caseloads shows that Milwaukee County judges' workloads matches those of judges in Waukesha County and are heavier than Ozaukee County judges' workloads.

The 2003 Circuit Court Caseload Study says that each Milwaukee County judge is handling the workload of 1.2 judges, the same as in Waukesha County, but higher than the judicial workload in Ozaukee County. Each Ozaukee County judge does the work of 1.1 judges, according to the study.

While conservative talk show hosts have criticized Milwaukee County judges and court staff, they have been silent about the staff in Waukesha and Ozaukee counties.

Walker also has suggested Milwaukee County courts staff are particularly lazy and unproductive.

Study results were included in a paper published in January by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

The Republican radio shows and blogs have been quick to agree with Walker that the courts are lazy and the budgets full of fat. Jessica McBride, for example, says:

Courthouse Snit Fit

So Milwaukee County Court administrators have decided to just outright stop taking small claims cases because of County Executive Scott Walker's budget cuts. How about snapping out of their childish snit fit and demanding that everyone in the courthouse work on Friday afternoons for once? How about looking for efficiencies rather than taking it out on the public? I challenge anyone who supports this action to go down to the courthouse and peak (sic) into the civil courtrooms in particular on any given day and see how many bailiffs and clerks are sitting around with nothing to do because cases have settled.

It would be surprising if they found any bailiffs sitting around, since most of the civil courts -- except small claims and family court -- don't have bailiffs. They were cut long ago, as the court administrator's report explains:

The proposed budget cuts all 9 civil law clerks used presently by the Civil Division to actas bailiffs for the civil juries and to assist the judges with research. Wisconsin statutes require the Sheriff to provide at least one bailiff for every branch of the courts.

Nonetheless, a few years ago the Courts agreed to give up bailiffs in all Civil Courts in exchange for law clerks. The law clerks would then act as bailiffs for
our civil juries. The law clerks are far less expense for the County taxpayers than bailiffs. They get no vacation or sick pay, no health insurance coverage and no dental. Their total cost to the County is $397,980. As a contrast, the cost for bailiffs in the 11 Civil courts would be $1.1 million dollars in salary and benefits.

So the baililffs are already gone. Now Walker's after the cut-rate law clerks.

Anybody for walking around the Waukesha County courthouse on a Friday afternoon? Maybe the DA, Paul Bucher, could give the tour.