Courts unveil $3.2B budget proposal: Boost to cover costs of new judges, legal services, raises

"Leaders of the state court's system on Tuesday called for a nearly $200 million budget increase to boost their spending to $3.2 billion in the coming fiscal year. The Unified Court System unveiled the Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal that included the 6.7% increase alongside Gov. Kathy Hochul's executive budget proposal. Nearly three-quarters of the court system's spending increase would go to existing operations and ongoing programs, including a 2% salary increase for all judges and justices."

"The budget proposal also calls for nearly $50 million in new spending, nearly half of which would be used to expand the state's struggling civil legal services programs. Requests for increased funding for CLS are a common ask from the courts, making it unsurprising that it was their top item for additional funding, representing about half of all the additional budget requests. The proposed increase of $25 million for CLS brings the program's total budget to $179 million and would support recruitment and retention of providers while expanding access to legal services in critical areas."

"The proposed funding for CLS comes after statements from Chief Judge Rowan Wilson on the challenges of managing services statewide that help meet the legal needs of low-income New Yorkers, at a hearing in September. "For the rule of law to survive, people must believe in it," Wilson said. "It is very hard to believe in a system that perennially stacks the deck in favor of the wealthy while leaving the less fortunate to fend for themselves.""

The Unified Court System seeks a Fiscal Year 2027 budget of $3.2 billion, a 6.7% (nearly $200 million) increase aligned with the governor's executive budget. Nearly three-quarters of the additional funds would support existing operations and ongoing programs, including a 2% salary increase for all judges and justices. The submission requests nearly $50 million in new spending, with about $25 million targeted to expand civil legal services and strengthen recruitment and retention of providers. Leaders prioritize initiatives to improve fairness, timeliness, and equal access to justice. The Office of Court Administration declined further comment. The increases still do not fully meet identified needs.

Read at Brooklyn Eagle