Georgia General Assembly v. Georgia Judiciary

I recently climbed aboard the soapbox to rail against a Georgia legislator's proposal to increase the filing fees in civil cases in Georgia. As I pointed out, if our legislature isn't careful, they could make filing a simple lawsuit so expensive that our court system becomes out of the reach of average citizens. But the problems at our state capital continue.

It appears that several legislators are also now threatening to eliminate up to 19 superior court judgeships statewide. In addition, they also have threatened to cut the salaries of Georgia judges. I realize that Georgia, like many states, faces a severe budget shortfall. However, in my opinion, it is a mistake to damage, perhaps irreparably, our court system through such draconian cuts.

For instance, mothers who need child support can't afford to wait months and months longer to get a court hearing, because there are fewer judges to hear their cases. And criminal cases already take months, and sometimes years, to get to trial. Hopefully, our legislators will find other ways to meet budgetary needs without such severe consequences to Georgia judges and litigants.

There now--I feel better and can climb down off the soapbox!