LA Presiding Judge Warns Against Wishful Thinking, Orders Court Days Off

The presiding judge of the Los Angeles county courts is jumping ahead of a statewide proposal to shut down courts one day a month with his own court closing order.

Presiding Judge Charles "Tim" McCoy said closing county courts and furloughing employees once a month will save about $18 million, the Daily Journal (sub. req.) reports. Employees won’t be paid for the days off; judges may voluntarily give up their pay for those days but can’t be forced to do so.

McCoy announced the closing in a press release, Legal Pad reports. “We cannot allow denial, false hope or wishful thinking to cause us to drift through the crisis,” he said. The county courts are projecting a $90 million deficit for next year.

State court officials are lobbying the legislature to approve a similar plan for statewide once-a-month court closings.