Hearing judges talk about the state cutting their budgets while their workloads increased made me want to confront them ("Chief justice to speak out in Duluth against cuts," Jan 22).
Their workloads could be cut if they rendered judgments once instead of having some cases come back two, three, four and even five times. Between lawyers and judges, there shouldn't be a backlog of cases, as judges contend.
One example: A young woman I know is trying to get her ex-husband to pay his share of medical bills for his children. He is in contempt of court for not paying, but her lawyer says he will have to be taken to court at least five times for the judge to do what should have been done the first time, which was more than just spanking his wrist. Meanwhile, the young woman is accruing legal fees, which is taking food out of her kids' mouths and clothes off their backs.
Before lawyers and judges come to the public wanting more money, they should clean house first. Times are tough for all of us. Tax dollars should not be wasted like they are on some of these cases.
Donald Fossum
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