Federal courts' budget blues; Congress asked for more money to pay jurors, court-appointed lawyers
Article Abstract:
The federal judiciary will run out of money before the end of the fiscal year and has requested supplemental appropriations from Congress, including an extra $7.5 million for payment to civil jurors and $70.8 million for payment of court-appointed counsel. Congress gave the federal judiciary $2.47 billion for the 1992-93 fiscal year, which was $130 million less than was necessary to continue providing the same level of service. Part of the federal court dilemma stems from the movement of weapons and drug cases to federal courts.
Publication Name: ABA Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0747-0088
Year: 1993
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
No more second-class jurors; U.S. Judicial Conference turns alternates into extras in federal civil trials
Article Abstract:
The Judicial Conference of the United States has established a minimum of six jurors and a maximum of 12 in federal civil cases. Courts are encouraged to seat more than six jurors in case of illness or other emergency. Now, however, the extras are not alternates but extra jurors. The issues of whether or not small juries represent a fair cross-section of the community and award consistent verdicts provoke some difference of opinion. Nonetheless, for economic reasons, use of smaller juries will probably continue.
Publication Name: ABA Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0747-0088
Year: 1992
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Downward trends: the verdict of most states and the Judicial Conference is ... smaller juries are more efficient
Article Abstract:
Most states have decided that juries of fewer than 12 members do the job just as well, but federal courts are still struggling with this issue. State courts in 39 states and the District of Columbia have allowed in some way for juries or less than 12 people. In the early 1970s, two US Supreme Court opinions held the Constitution does not mandate 12-person juries. The US Judicial Conference will also study relaxing the requirement for unanimity of jury verdicts in federal civil trials.
Publication Name: ABA Journal
Subject: Law
ISSN: 0747-0088
Year: 1996
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Reaching out to rural communities; through grants and fellowships, pro bono efforts are moving beyond urban areas to help those clients in need of legal services
- Abstracts: Trademark owners weigh court vs. UDRP; suit under anti-cybersquatting act allows for more remedioes, but dispute resolution is faster
- Abstracts: Anger rises over bankruptcy fees; Congress and courts consider ways to control legal costs. Firms benefit from hot, but cyclical, business of IPOs
- Abstracts: How OTS set the stage for order against firm. FDIC/RTC fees to outside counsel are up sharply.... 14 firms reach limit for FDIC legal work
- Abstracts: Gifts made under power of attorney were excludable from estate. Donor's retained control caused incomplete gift, rules Tax Court