Economist: An underfunded court system weakens the economy as well as access to justice

The Economist published an insightful article which dissentagles the effects of budget cuts on the US judiciary and access to justice. Slower justice and increased waiting times are just two of the many dire consequences. Enforcement is compromised by increasing backlog.  Budget cuts also affect the physical conditions of delivery of justice: “around the [US] 3,200 courthouses are “physically eroded” and “functionally deficient”. Judges pay has been frozen in times of increasing caseloads.

At the same time the economic crises generates ever more legal problems many of which has to be resolved in courts. “This means that the courts are limiting access just when Americans need more adjudication.”

Read The feeblest branch: An underfunded court system weakens the economy as well as access to justice here