A 90-minute closing every work day will be increased to 2 1/2 hours, said Douglas County District Court Administrative Judge Michael Malone.
And even when the office is open, don't expect service to be quick. Three part-time clerk's positions will be eliminated by October. One may be filled after a 28-day wait.
"Things are going to be slower," Malone said. "I'm just going to have to ask that the public bear with us."
The cuts are necessary because the Legislature's appropriation for the 2002 budget year fell short of what the courts needed to operate. Similar cutbacks are being made in courthouses across the state.
In Douglas County, no decisions have been made on when the additional hour of closing will be scheduled. One possibility is during the noon hour, Malone said.
Now, the clerk's office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Employees in the office, however, are working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They use the half-hour they are closed in the morning and the extra hour at the end of the day to catch up on work they can't get done while dealing with the public.
Malone and court officials had to come up with a way to make $20,286 in budget reductions mandated by the Kansas Office of Judicial Administration. That plan has to be submitted by today to the administration.
Such reductions are being made in all state court districts because the Kansas Legislature's appropriation was nearly $2 million short of what the courts wanted. The state provides funding for court personnel.
In addition to leaving a trial court clerk's position open, a court service officer's position will not be filled for at least 119 days after it is vacated by an employee leaving for another job this fall, Malone said. Court service officers perform bailiff duties.
Those duties instead will be handled by an intern who is willing to work for a minimal wage, Malone said.
"It's almost volunteerism," he said.
The clerk's office handles marriage licenses and Small Claims Court filings for the general public. Attorneys also use the office to file cases and documents on pending cases.
Douglas County attorneys aren't looking forward to the reductions.
"I would think it's safe to say there will be concerns by attorneys and the public," said Kay Huff, Lawrence attorney and president of the Douglas County Bar Assn.
David Brown, a Lawrence attorney who sits on the advisory board for the Douglas County Criminal Defense Assn., agreed.
"It presents problems for all of us," Brown said. "If they reduce their hours further we just can't get in there and get things done."
Both Huff and Brown hope public pressure will persuade next year's Kansas Legislature to increase funding to the state court system. Brown, former president of the bar association, said the association has lobbied legislators about the problem before.
"I don't know exactly why, but they continue to ignore the plight of Douglas County," Brown said.
Brown also said Douglas County legislators have shown support for the court system.
-- Staff writer Mike Belt can be reached at 832-7165.
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