Chief justice touts budget savings of Nevada Supreme Court

By Cy Ryan

Monday, March 7, 2011 | 5:32 p.m.

CARSON CITY – Nevada Chief Justice Michael Douglas told the Legislature on Monday the Nevada Supreme Court has reduced its upcoming budget by 16.8 percent, or $2.3 million, to help the state through its financial troubles.

“It will be challenging, but we will, once again, do more with less,” he said in prepared remarks for a joint session of the Legislature.

Douglas said Nevada is facing its most challenging time since the Great Depression and lawmakers must think outside the box to find solutions.

But the judicial branch, he said, “must be independent of politics and personalities and concerns as to public popularity.”

The Supreme Court refused to order one-day-a-month furloughs for its employees while other state workers were forced to take days off without pay following the 2009 Legislature. The court said it saved the money elsewhere in its budget.

Some lawmakers criticized the court earlier this month in budget hearings because it didn't have employees take the furlough days.

Douglas said the court disposed of 4,586 cases in 2009 and 2010, but still faced a backlog of 1,514 cases starting this year. The court expects 2,050 new appeals in this year and 2012.

“That reality is that the state judicial branch must provide dispute resolution for all under the rule of law with limited funds,” he said.

Douglas also said the state's foreclosure mediation program to keep people in their homes is working. Approved by the 2009 Legislature, it set up a program for the court to manage.

There were 8,738 mediations requested by homeowners and financial institutions, and 74 percent of homes were retained by their owners.

“This program has been hailed as cutting-edge and is now a model for other states,” he said.