LA County Court Supervisor
I’m here in Sacramento with other court employees from across the state to meet with legislators about why closing courts is going to hurt the public. I’ve worked for the courts for 24 years, and I was involved with building the union when court assistants received unfair treatment in criminal courts. But this is the first time I’ve done something like this.
One woman talked about elder abuse and how closure of courthouses would affect the elderly. A member from the Children’s Law Center in Los Angeles said closing the courts for even one day would affect children in foster care who aren’t comfortable speaking to anyone but their attorney. I work in juvenile court, and I spoke about how minors being overdetained affects families and youth. When they arrest the wrong people they have to spend an extra day in jail — if they were arrested over the weekend, this kid has to spend 48 hours to 72 hours in custody.
When we meet with legislators and their staff, we get their contact numbers, and we ask them how they’re planning to vote on this. We tell them we want AOC to open their books and be held accountable. They’re spending the money in the wrong places.
The courts closing is not going to solve the budget crisis. We have to all pull together, go to the rallies at the AOC, get it out to the community, talk among our families and friends.