Minnesota courts desperately need funds, but state's budget outlook is bleak.

Publication: Minnesota Lawyer

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Dolan Media Newswires

Byline: Barbara L. Jones

And how many years would that take for that [case] to work its way through our wonderful court system, 20?

It would probably take the same as it's taking for this case, Your Honor.

Exchanges like that one, recorded in an opinion issued last week by the Court of Appeals (Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Northeast Concrete Products L.L.C. et al.) will become even more common if the judicial system doesn't get the funding it needs, court officials warn.

The Minnesota Judicial Council voted recently to submit a $54 million request to Gov. Tim Pawlenty for additional funding for the biennium encompassing fiscal years 2010 and 2011. The money is needed, council leaders said, to avoid deep staff cuts that will lead to reduction of public services, long delays in case processing, cutting drug courts...

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