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WEBVTT >> THERE IS FRUSTRATION, NOTONLY IN THE BRANCH BUT THEPARTIES WE SERVE AS WELL.rtMARCUS: WITH GOOD REASON.IN FISCAL YEAR 18 THAT BEGANJULY 1.THE HOLE IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCHBUDGET INCREASED TO ALMOST $$15SO IT IS LIKELY THE 25 OPENMILLION DOLLARS.rtPOSITIONS IN THE SECOND JUDICIALDISTRICT MAY NOT BE FILLEDPOSITIONS THAT HIT EVERY LEVELOF THE COURT SYSTEM.>> SPREAD THROUGHOUT CLERKS OFrtCOURT, JUVENILE COURT SERVICESAN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENT AND, WE HAVE AN OPEN JUDGE POSITIONMARCUS: THAT OPEN JUDGE POSITIONHAS CREATED A BURDEN FOR THEDISTRICT A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECTrt.WITH CRIMINAL CASES TAKINGPRIORITY AND FEWER EMPLOYEESSOMETHING HAS TO FALL THROUGH, THE CRACKS.>> WHICH HAS RESULTED IN 40CIVIL CASES NOT BEING REACHEDFOR TRIAL THAT WERE PREPARED ANDREADY TO GO,rt WE JUST DIDN'T HAVEA JUDGE AVAILABLE.MARCUS: JUST ABOUT EVERYTHINGHAS BEEN TRIED TO MAKE UP THEFUNDING GAP INCLUDING A FURLOUGH, DAY LATE LAST MArtY., WERE MOSTSTATE COURT EMPLOYEES, EXCEPTJUDGES AND MAGISTRATES, TOOK ANUNPAID DAY OFF.HAND SAYS IT IS JUST PRICE OFDOING BUSINESS, TELLING US THECOURT EMPLOYEES WILL CONTINUE TOrtDO THEIR JOBS TO THE BEST OFTHEIR ABILITIES UNDER OFTENDIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.>> WE HANDLE WHAT IS FILED SOrtHAVING FEWER EMPLOYEES TO HANDLEESSENTIALLY THE SAME AMOUNT OFWORK RESULTS IN EVERYBODY DOING, A LITTLE BIT MORE AND DOING ITrtA LITTLE QUICKER.UNFORTUNATLEY THE QUICKER PEOPLE

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State departments are starting to feel the impact of Iowa’s near-$15 million budget gap. Officials with Iowa's judicial system said they are feeling the pinch. “There is frustration not only in the branch but the parties we serve as well,” District 2 Court Administrator Scott Hand said. Hand said the 2nd Judicial District, which covers 22 north-central counties, has about 25 open positions open, including one for a judge. In fiscal year 2018, the hole in the judicial branch budget increased to almost $15 million. Hand said the open positions in the 2nd Judicial District might not be filled, which would cause some cases to fall through the cracks. “(It) has resulted in 40 civil cases not being reached for trial that were prepared and ready to go,” Hand said. “We just didn't have a judge available.” Hand said the district had tried several measures to close the funding gap, including a furlough day late last May, on which most state court employees took an unpaid day off. “We handle what is filed,” Hand said. “So, having fewer employees to handle the same work results in everybody doing a little bit more and doing it a little quicker. Unfortunately, the quicker people work, the more incident of error there can be.” The open judge position in District 2 will not be filled until the end of the 2018 fiscal year, at the earliest. There are 107 vacant judicial branch positions statewide. The judicial branch workforce is 11.5 percent smaller than it was last year.