Bradley and Hedlund seek answers on potential Hingham District Court closure

Legislators send letter to Chief Justice Mulligan

July 27, 2011

BOSTON -- Last week, after the Fiscal Year Budget was signed into law, the Chief Justices of the Commonwealth informed the Governor that 11 courts, including Hingham District Court, were in jeopardy of closing due to budget cuts.  The courts listed are the same courts that were in jeopardy of closing last year - based on the recommendation of the states court relocation committee.

Supreme Court Justice Roderick L. Ireland and Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan said that the $24.2 million court budget reduction in FY12 requires closing some courts.

In response, Representative Garrett Bradley and Senator Robert Hedlund co-sponsored a letter asking Chief Justice Mulligan to provide the following information before any consideration is made regarding court closings:

• An analysis of the specific savings and efficiencies attributable to any proposed court closing and/or relocation and the extent to which they contribute to any current or projected deficiencies

• An analysis of any short or long-term increased costs, including increased costs to local municipalities, that will result from each of the proposed closings or relocations

• An analysis of the capacity and costs to courts selected to absorb new or increased caseloads on account of this relocation

• A specific description of any current or projected fiscal shortfalls for Fiscal Year 2012 and how those deficiencies relate to the inability to maintain existing courts

• The specific criteria and analysis as applied and used to support the recommendations of the Court Relocation Committee, as well as to each court that the Court Relocation Committee considered in its deliberations

“I understand the trial courts budget, like other agencies budgets, were decreased this year,” said Representative Bradley.  “However, during the 90 day period in which the Legislature can act in these situations, we have asked for a detailed breakdown of how the decision was reached and the amount of savings predicted.  My sense is that the answers to these questions may not support the decision on a cost/benefit basis.”

“While I understand that the state court system must absorb a substantial budget cut, I am not sure that shuttering one of the state’s busiest, most effective, and better-managed courthouses would be the most efficient solution,” Senator Hedlund said.

Last year, when Hingham District Court was in jeopardy of closing after federal funds were not available, the legislature passed a $9 million supplemental budget which allowed the courts to stay open and also added money to the rainy day account.  It is unclear if another supplemental budget will be an option this year.

###