San Francisco Superior Court layoffs of 40% of its employees

[Martha R]

I heard they laid off 23 of 50 court reporters.   I wonder if this is a sign of things to come, especially for California

 

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/07/19/38254.htm

[Keith Rowan II]

Being in San Jose, working in court, this is very scary.  We've all been talking about it the last few days.  The budget is getting worse and worse.  Cases already take way too long to resolve.  Clerks don't have time to return phone calls.   Now, they are cutting our interpreters, and we can't even get interpreters and have to wait around a long time.  There could definitely be more layoffs in our courts.  I hope and pray that it won't come to that.  But times are bad.

[Kellie Zollars]

I may be off on the number, but I heard they closed 20 courtrooms in SF.   As a freelance reporter, I am very worried that I am about to lose a lot of income (along with the attorneys I work for).   If it takes 3 - 5 years to go to trial in civil cases, are people still going to sue?    Sounds like civil arbitrators are going to be much busier these days.  As far as I can see, the economy is getting worse, and not getting better any time soon.

 

[Keith Rowan II]

Actually, the story I read said more.  The number was around 25.  And, yes, the whole thing is very scary for all of us.

[Quyen]

I spoke to an attorney about this the day they made the decision.  He said the same thing, that he thinks arbitration/mediation work will pick up.  Hopefully, the arbitrations will need to be reported and that it will just mean a transfer in the area of work (depos to arbs) for us and not less work.

[Janiece Young]

I am doing more arbitrations.  It is slowly building.

[Quyen]

That's good to hear, Janiece.  Arbitrations pay better than depo rates anyway.

 

Oh, but I just noticed you're all the way in Kansas.  I hope that holds true for us, too, here in CA.

[Danielle]

I work in Oakland (east of San Francisco) and we are laying off potentially 21 reporters.  It goes by seniority, so I am crossing my fingers because I am amongst the 21.  There are so many rumors, but the talk is that attorneys will have to hire their own court reporters in a civil court if they want a record. I was told that they want the public to be affected by this. Well, my fellow court reporters and I are being affected.  I will lose all my benefits!  It's a sad, sad time here in Alameda County. :(