Tomorrow, the legislature will hold hearings about proposed state budget cuts, including cutting the judicial branch’s budget by an additional 4 million dollars. The hearing begins at 11:00 am and the public testimony will begin at 1:00 pm in room 210 of the Legislative Office Building. 

The legislature needs to hear from the families that this will effect, because this is not about the lawyers, judges and court staff but rather the victim of domestic violence who may not be able to get a restraining order because the court is closed, or the child who must wait for a year to be freed for adoption in a termination of parental rights case, or a single parent who must wait for months before obtaining a child support order. If your schedule allows, please attend the hearing tomorrow to voice to the legislature your opposition these detrimental cuts to the judicial branch budget. If you cannot attend, please call your representative.

More information about the proposed budget cuts to the judicial branch:

Broderick: Latest Cuts Are Too Deep, Concord Monitor, 4/9
Gov. Lynch Unveils $85 Million in Cuts Plus Layoffs, Union Leader, 4/8
CJ Broderick: April 8 Court budget letter to Gov. Lynch, 4/8
Senate Passes Bill to Spare Local Courts, Nashua Telegraph, 4/8
Fast facts about the judicial branch, 3/29
Rockingham Prosecutor Reams: ‘A disaster for justice’, Foster’s, 3/20