Juvenile Dependency: Court Appointed-Counsel Funding Reallocation

The California Lawyers Committee (CLC) recommends adopting the work group's proposal to reduce judicial council funding to address the caseload crisis affecting many counties. The plan would reallocate funds over four years, with some counties experiencing decreases in funding. CLC argues that this is the most equitable method of distributing funds and that delays or alternatives would not adequately address the problem. The committee urges the Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee to adopt the proposal forthwith and notes that a commitment to increase overall funding is crucial to meeting the goal of 188 clients per attorney.