press conference today -- court layoffs

MEDIA        

ADVISORY

 

March 15, 2010

 

NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR BROADCAST

 

News Conference to Announce

Layoffs of More Than 300 Employees; C ourtroom Closures

Will Also Be Announced

 

Who: Los Angeles Superior Court Presiding Judge Charles “Tim” McCoy Jr., joined by several supervising judges.

What:  News conference to announce layoffs of more than 300 employees and courtroom closures.

When: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 10 a.m.

Where: Department 21, room 313, third floor, Stanley Mosk Courthouse. To expedite security clearance of camera equipment, crews and photographers are asked to use the building entrance at the Grand Avenue end of the courthouse. Media truck parking will be available in the normally utilized portion of Grand.

       Because of a $79 million budget shortfall for the fiscal year 2009-2010, with projections of deficits exceeding $133 million over the next four years, the Los Angeles Superior Court will lay off more than 300 employees on Tuesday, March 16.  These layoffs will affect court operations county-wide. More than a dozen courtrooms either have been or will be shut down as a result. The closures will have immediate and long-term effects on all court customers and users throughout Los Angeles County.

         The layoffs Tuesday are only part of a larger staff reduction plan that the Court expects to have to make to address the financial crisis.  As many as 500 additional employees may be laid off in September, with up to 50 courtrooms shut down.  The Court anticipates additional courtroom closures as well as the closing of courthouses over the next three years.