Will Ortonville lose its courthouse.

Will Ortonville lose its courthouse.

Grant County take heed this could happen to Milbank

There is big and bad news coming from the State of the Judiciary. The Judiciary is broke and justice will suffer.

The rich and powerful will always have a way to resolve their disputes but today the average citizen may be losing their right to the court system. Are you aware that the mere filing of a civil litigation ranges from $250.00 to $350.00. This does not include sheriff fees or attorney fees.

Governor Pawlenty is rumored to have requested a 10% cutback in the Judicial Branch in the upcoming budget. The judiciary has been cutting back for the last four years. Now a further cutback. This cutback will and have changed the face of the judiciary in Minnesota forever.

Here is what is being considered that effects our area. The Supreme Court is considering re-districting not utilizing county lines but altering the districts to regional centers. This will change the look of the entire western part of the state.

The judiciary has been dependent on the legislative and executive branches for money. The ineptness of these two other branches and the leaders that propound these ridiculous ideas demonstrate an effort of these two branches of government to eliminate the judicial branch. Current leadership is dismantling the judiciary and we are standing still.

Will this effect Ortonville, Madison and Wheaton? Of course it will. Please write your legislator and governor.

I need a picture here to understand what you are saying.

Am I to understand that the judicial branch of our government is considering taking a group of counties and putting them together and make one single location for everyone in those counties to go to for court? That puts an awful burden on the adverage person. Our justice system seems overtaxed as it is. In an effort for the state to cut expenses they are putting our judicial system in jeopardy? That's where they find ways to save money, by removing our access to justice?

Yes, which means the regional office will be in Willmar.

5 words: Sounds like a bad idea

Our justice system is far from perfect, but it has been by far one of the best systems in the world, if not the best.

Making access to justice more expensive, and there for harder to access for the average person in this fledgling economy, will make it all the easier for law breakers to prey on the less wealthy.

Speaking of easier for law breakers, I understand that perjury cases are seldom if ever brought to a judge. And prosecuters don't like to deal with them. So people can get away with lying in court, whats next?

I know that many hearings are done via ITV so it makes you wonder if that would continue or would they actually make those involved with a hearing travel? Doesn't seen very cost effective. And winter weather has a way of changing everyone's plans!



nascargirl

Should we prepare for the worse

People close to the real decision makers are saying that there will not be an attempt to preserve by ITV. Their argument is when counties were established we were in the horse and buggy days and all citizens were within a days drive.

Since the invention of the automobile we do not need our courthouses so close. Some of the proposals are said to be the "dismantling of the judiciary".

To keep our court administration local we should promote ITV but this may not be enough. There is a press conference set for tomorrow.

We should be writing our legislators immediately.

The legislators have convened and there is a website for concerned citizens to be able to voice their opinion about the projected budget cuts.

Check out the MN State website to contact your legislators here.

Even the idea of the ITV bothers me. It is different dealing with a person face to face than just on a tv screen. A tv screen is to impersonal. It is alright to use for a business meeting but dealing with truth and justice you need to look people in the eyeball.

Thanks Lady Hawk for this website

If you do nothing then one morning you will wake up and it will be too late. Once the re-districting takes place it is too late.

Please write! Without support we will wake up with our courthouse in Marshall, MN, or St. Cloud, MN or maybe even in Moorhead, MN.

Now is the time to act.

Did you know that it will be harder to get a court appointed defense attorney if you or your family needs one? Have you read the latest article written on the MN court website? http://www.mncourts.gov/?page=NewsItemDisplay&item=44518 So how much are you willing to give up?
Big Stone County is in the 8th Judicial District which means the regional office would probably be in Willmar and yes there is talk already about going there.
Just another small note, did you know that jury pay has also be reduced?

Thank you for the link Piecemeal.

This is deadly serious and needs to be dealt with promptly.

Our Representative does he understand the issue?

I wrote a concerned leeter about the courthouse to Representative Falk. It appears to me that he is treating the failure of the judiciary funding is like failing to finance a building project for a university. He claims that all will have to cut back.

On the news the other day the leader for one of the parties said even the legislature is cutting back on stamps. Wow! If maintaining a sound judiciary could have been so simple.

It appears to be that our legislature and our governor best read the Constitution and their oath taken when they were sworn in.

You cannot have three equal branches of government when two branches refuse to fund the judiciary.

Please get a hold of your legislature.

Falks' letter is below.

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I just received another letter from Rep Falk who claims that the Dems and himself are more interested in education then the judiciary.

The Judiciary is on its last legs and he wants to spend money somewhere else. Please contact him and help put him on the right ship.

Here is his e-mail address:

sandy.connolly@house.mn

Please express your concerns before it is too late.

Have I missed this information in the local paper? I try and read the paper cover to cover every week, and have not remembered seeing information regarding these possible changes on the legal system.

It would be nice to see some reporting on this topic so the entire community understands the issue. As stated by many in this topic posting, this will have an adverse affect on our local justice system.



nascargirl

Information from the judicial branch is fair to good. Pressure from the rural areas and the judiciary have altered Gov. Pawlenty's attempt to cut the budget 10%. This news means that the court system has avoided re-districting but is this enough?

I am aware of three judges and court administration near retirement or having health issues. Court administration cutbacks are effecting the efficiency of the judiciary throughout the state. We need to do more and actually increase the judiciary budget.

Keep writing your legislature. If things do not dramatically change we will lose our courthouse.

This shows the extremely detrimental effect the budget will have on the judiciary. Here are the numbers from the Minnesota State Bar Association

Update: Week of January 26

The Governor released his budget proposal this week, and we’ve posted a number of materials on www.1000Supporters.org in response.

Check the “Action Items” section for the Governor’s proposals for the Supreme Court and civil legal aid, the trial and appellate courts, and public defense. According to calculations from the branches of the Justice System, the Governor’s proposals would result in:

Courts

o Loss of 250 – 500 positions

o Up to another 126 positions cut to fund unavoidable increases in employee costs (mandatory pension contribution increases, insurance increases, annualization of current employee compensation)

o 21 types of “low priority” cases would not be heard

Public Defense

o Immediate loss 12% - 25% of staff ( 50-100 attorneys)

o Loss of as many as 20 additional attorneys because of the need to fund $2M in unavoidable increases in employee costs (mandatory pension contribution increases, insurance increases, annualization of current employee compensation)

o Will only be able to concentrate on in-custody felony defendants

Civil Legal Aid

o When combined with the loss of the $1M per year increase of the last biennium (which was not included in legal aid’s base funding), and a reduction of $500,000 in IOLTA revenue, approximately 3,500 – 4,500 families will lose access to services in critical need areas like safety, shelter, medical care, and food. (The Governor’s proposed 5% reduction in legal aid funding actually results in a 12% decrease of current program revenue, because of the additional elimination of the non-base part of legal aid’s appropriation.)

Chief Justice Magnuson has been travelling around the state talking about the crisis faced by the Justice System. He’s been joined by local Justice System representatives who have spoken about the local impacts of the proposed cuts.

We continue to need support on the State Senate side. Please do not hesitate to write to your State Senator.

By the way, a reliable source told me that our House member Andrew Folk has been good in attempting to fund the Judiciary. Keep writing our rep.'s.

Recent information from the judiciary still says that over 200 jobs will be lost and the suspicion is in the rural areas. Right your state representative and State Senator. Our courthouse is not out of the woods yet!

It appears as to news of what specific cutbacks that are coming to our area, including Madison, Wheaton and Ortonville is not good and not bad. It appears that all three will maintain their current status but there will be cut backs.

There still is talk of consolidation especially if funding continues to be an issue. Keep writing you state house and senate members.

In terms of economic development remember on any given court day there are 20 people who arrive from out of town and they each buy a tank of gas or lunch and spend on av erage $20.00, there is a gigantic effect on the econmy. Rural Development experts say that this money is turned 7 times in the community.

20 x 20 x 7 x 52 = $145,000.00 per year that is lost in the community. This are conservative numbers.

Legal system funding is “on the table”

I am already aware of two cutbacks that are occuring in Lac Qui Parle, Traverse and Big Stone. We need the help of the public.

Dear 1000 Supporters members:

The hits just keep on coming.

On Friday, I participated in a meeting that was arranged by Chief Justice Magnuson, with Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller.

During the course of that meeting the Senator made it clear that legal system funding was “on the table.”

In order to come up with budget reductions totaling $ 4,847,259,000 (that’s more than four billion dollars folks), the legislature would have to cut the base budgets of all recipients of state tax dollars 13.65%.

Attached is a document that the Majority Leader handed out at this meeting that conducts the mathematical exercise for us.

Under such a mathematical approach the legal system (the courts, legal services and public defenders) would see a reduction of $ 102,619,000 (that’s over one hundred million dollars) in their base budgets.

Time for a budget trivia break.

When discussing budget reductions in other years, we are typically talking about the amount that the legislature “cut” a requested increase. So, when the courts, or legal services or the public defenders, in years past, decried a budget reduction they were almost always talking about a reduction to a requested increase.

The cuts laid out in the attached mathematical exercise are cuts to the base, not cuts to requests for increases, of the affected budgets.

Now, back to the message from the legislature.

Senator Pogemiller explained that the Senate, having recently come out publicly to put education “on the table” is going to be hard pressed to take anybody off of the table. He explained that every dollar that is added back in to one budget, has to come from another part of the budget.

The Senator made it clear that K-12 Education Spending is not going to be reduced by $ 1,898,043,000. But, it is going to be reduced he said.

The Senator made it clear that while “Judiciary spending” will not be reduced by $ 102,619,000, it will be reduced.

And, every dollar that flows back in to the base budget appropriations for K-12 Education and the judiciary, will have to come from some place else. That will be a difficult conversation, let me assure you.

Obviously, the Senator was warming us up for tax increases as a way to avoid these tough conversations.

But, he was equally quick to say that we cannot tax our way out of a $ 4,847,259,000 budget hole.

This is where you come in.

Contact your legislators and let them know that legal system funding is critical, and ask your clients to do so as well.

Write to your local newspaper and ask your clients to do so as well.

The legal system is a critical part of public safety as anyone who appreciates the connection between law enforcement, the City and County prosecutors, the courts, the public defenders and legal services understands.

A functioning legal system is too important a part of public safety to allow it to come undone due to funding constraints.

Help us get that word out.

Sincerely:


Michael J. Ford

President
Minnesota State Bar Association

We have now lost the court administrators in three counties on the western side of this state.

Big Stone County and Traverse County will lose their court administrator and there remains talks of further consolidations including a tri county court system.

There are sound rumors in Lac Qui Parle County as well that I have not been able to confirm.

It is difficult to watch these very good public servants retire because of buy outs. They have been large contributors to these communities and the loss will be felt.

I am extremely disappointed with the written press. Instead of just reporting the losses they should have been pro active and assisted to minimize the loss.

Here is the economic loss to date. One job wages for this position is around $65,000.00 per year. If he spends most of this money in our community it will circulate 7 times. A quarter of a million dollars has been lost in the economy with this cut alone. How many jobs will be lost? The public will figure this out.

City leaders continue to advocate for a decrease in benefits and further cutbacks. This community disparately needs to balance the golf budget and within two years create income instead of losses?

Where was our written press? Where are our city leaders?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the current Court Administrator for Big Stone County doesn't even live in our county.

If that's the case, then what you are referring to is not really an issue for Ortonville at this time.

Welcome to The Forums and congratulations on your first post.

I remember once being in a room with some residents of Ortonville and they were complaining about a person who worked in Ortonville but lived over the border in SD and that the persons wages was being lost to Ortonville. They never considered the people who live in MN and work in Big Stone City or Milbank. I have never heard anyone in SD complain about that.

What they failed to understand is that the person was paying MN taxes on their paycheck. That person did much of their shopping in Ortonville and came to many events and participated in local activities. One tends to spend money where they are familiar and if you work in a place you tend to make friends there and spend a lot of time and money there.

I understand that the current Court Administrator is a resident of Big Stone County. Not that it should matter. We shouldn't be predjudiced against people because they live in a different town. We should think of ouselves as an area and all towns are equal. Remember that John F. Kennedy said, "A rising tide raises all ships."

It is interesting that out of all the posts in this thread you talk about the court administrator being let go as no big loss because you think they don't live in Big Stone County and miss the important issue of the potential loss of the judicial process being available in Big Stone County.

Ok, it was my understanding that the Court Administrator was a resident of Wheaton, perhaps I am wrong. I was specifically responding to the post by Mouthpiece in which he made the claim that the loss of this salary would hurt Ortonville. I guess I was trying to make the point that this salary left along time ago.

In regards to the courthouse issue, does it make economic sense to have a courthouse in Big Stone County?? Does it make sense to have judges spending soo much time driving around to all of these courthouses??

I thought I once read that only something like 9 percent of the population will ever use the court system in their lifetime. If that is true (I would like to see a more accurate number) is having a local courthouse in such a sparsely populated county a wise use of expenditures for a very small amount of users???

How many days a month is a Judge actually present in our county???

How many cases per month (on average) are handled in our county???

I would base my opinion on the answers to these questions.

No matter what happens, judicial process will not be lost and I think that needs to be acknowledged. It will still be available to anyone who needs it. It just may not be as convenient.

Before I begin I would like you to disclose if you are a resident of Big Stone County and perhaps your city of residency. I am requesting this information because the arguments you make are arguments residents from Stevens County would make.

First the existing court administrator is a resident of Graceville and whether it is Traverse or Big Stone County really does not matter.

There are two ways to look at this issue and that is the reason I ask where you are from. To say losing one of the larger salaries in either counties or say it has no economic consequences to either county is obviously incorrect. As I previously, indicated that this income circulates 7 times in a small community.

The judicial system has been described as being in the process of dismantlement by people within the system. Jurors are being paid less. The public defenders are overworked and law clerks and essential services have been disrupted.

Just this last week in St. Cloud, Minnesota I had to drive for a first appearance. When I arrived court administration did not even have the ticket on hand. Lining up telephone conferences were not able to be completed because court administration was too busy.

To say that closing a court house has no impact, except for convenience would be incorrect. However, your argument from the judicial standpoint may be correct. Money can be saved by eliminating the job and courthouse in Big Stone County.

Apparently you are advocating the court administration be moved to Morris. I can not imagine why Morris would have 9% of our population going to Morris to spend money on food, clothing, gasoline and even medical services in Morris.

Instead of this 9% of the population spending money in Ortonville it will all go to Morris. As I have previously indicated the loss of revenue to Ortonville would be approximately 1 million dollars per year.

The savings to the judiciary was $65,000. The loss to Ortonville is close to one million per year. State savings vs. loss to Ortonville? I think Big Stone 777 makes a great argument for closure of the court house.

That is the reason that if Ortonville wants to maintain their courthouse they will have to be vigilant and pro-active.

Sources close to the courthouses in a number of border counties who are suffering population declines are on the chopping block. Lincoln, Lac Qui Parle, Big Stone and Wheaton may lose all court administration.

Just in the last two weeks two events occurred that demonstrate that problems are arising that hurt low income people.

First, I went to St. Cloud for a first appearance on a criminal matter. The court administration could not find the ticket and we had to go home without making a court appearance.

Second, I attempted to have a telephone conference in Todd County but court administration did not get to my request until 4:30 the day before the hearing. I had already made other arrangements.

This is not a reflection of the court administrators. Making St. Cloud handle more cases will create more problems unless more staff is hired. Then we must ask, Where are the savings?

Big Stone 777 claimed that justice would still be available. The Tribune article below would suggest otherwise.

Today the Minneapolis Tribune had an article stating that Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson was attempting to save Minnesota's justice system as he knows it. Magnuson is facing off against Gov. Tim Pawlenty, over budget cuts. The governor makes the budget and the legislature dispenses the funds but Magnuson decides how the court system's money gets spent.

Magnuson is recommending shutting down conciliation court, cutting hours and suspending prosecution of 21 types of cases, including property damage, harassment, probate, and more than 1 million traffic and parking cases a year. This could stop a revenue of $299 million to the government.
That last step could interrupt a $200 million flow to local governments.

Magnuson is surrounding himself with a coalition of judges, sheriffs, policy, county attorneys, public defenders and others to deal with this issue called the Coalition to Perserve Minnesota's Justice System.

This Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson looks like a real hero to me. Taking on the governor and the legislators fighting for our criminal justice system. I don't know why some government officials think that and are fair game in budget cuts.

The purpose of government is to protect the people. That is the number one function. After that comes everything else. If people know that their is no enforcement of the law then they are free to act anyway they want and have no fear of the law.

If you don't have to worry about being punished you can speed, shoplift, trash peoples property. People could even lie under oath, fabricate evidence, alter evidence, withhold evidence, and harass people and have no fear of consequences. Let's not live in a rosy pretend marshmallow land that everyone is good and everyone is kind. I think Sheriff Haukos said in his video interview that sometimes good people do bad things. If people don't have a respect and fear of the law then as the Bible says, "Every one will do what is right in their own eyes." Lawlessness will abound.

I believe that I read when Benjamin Franklin came out of the meeting when they established this nation a woman asked him what kind of government did they create for the people. Benjamin Franklin replied, "A republic ma'am, if you can keep it."

We are faced here today with that prophetic reply. We will only have and a system if we can "keep it." It is time to stand up and be counted.