Pawlenty: Courts need to modernize

(AP) - Gov. Tim Pawlenty is pushing back against a drive by state court officials to avert funding cuts.

Court officials, including Chief Justice Eric Magnuson, have been traveling the state to warn that significant funding cuts would reduce court service to unacceptable levels.

Pawlenty told the West Central Tribune that court budgets need trimming as a way to pressure them to change. Pawlenty says the court system is antiquated and needs improved processes, such as all-electronic systems for paperwork.

Court officials talked about just those kinds of changes at a House committee meeting in St. Paul this week, but their timetable would do it later than Pawlenty apparently wants.

If Pawlenty's budget plan prevails, court leaders have said they expect to lose about 15 percent of their workforce and will have to stop hearing some lesser cases.

But Pawlenty says a middle ground can be found with reform to make courts more efficient.

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Information from: West Central Tribune, http://www.wctrib.com

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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