The decision to close all of Iowa’s court offices on Friday affects cases and court staff here in Woodbury County, as well as citizens.
The courts will be closed Friday through Memorial Day Monday and reopen on Tuesday, May 30th because of mid-year budget cuts that forced the Judicial Branch to reduce expenses.
Woodbury County Court Administrator Leesa McNeil says all court personnel, except judges and magistrates, will be required to take unpaid leave on Friday:
OC……….no hearing. ;21
McNeil says court offices received advance warning of the furlough day, so no hearings are set for Friday.
The public may not realize offices are closed though for routine business:
OC………..will not be able to. ;17
This furlough day covers the fiscal year ending June 30th.
McNeil is currently 13 positions short in Woodbury County and doubts she will be able to hire new people to fill those posts:
OC………all about. ;18
The Legislature’s 2018 budget for the judiciary didn’t restore the $3-million dollar mid-year cuts.
The Supreme Court will approve a budget for the upcoming fiscal year in late June.
