The Battle for the Courthouse Budget
Justice court clerks push back against a county consolidation plan that would slash their wages and merge their responsibilities.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The county commissioners yesterday afternoon delivered their ultimatum to Justices Humphrey and Caldwell regarding the salaries of the clerks of the justice courts. It embodies a proposition to make one clerk do the work of both courts at a salary of $75, or the same as one receives now. Each justice looks upon the plan as impracticable, and the clerks say the work cannot be done by one man. Justice Humphrey appeared alone before the commissioners, who gave him to understand that if the ultimatum was not met, they would cut the salaries of the clerks to $25 or $50. The justices argued that it is an obvious impossibility for one man to do the clerical work of both courts, as litigation has increased about 50 percent since the fees were changed. The docket book in Justice Caldwell's court yesterday showed fifty-four cases during July. These cases have to be recorded, transcripts made, cost bills drawn up, and witness fee certificates issued—duties that require a dedicated clerk.
“It is an obvious impossibility for one man to do the clerical work of both courts.”
Administrative budget cuts and the struggle over municipal staffing levels are persistent features of Seattle civic life. The argument that a court cannot function without adequate administrative support is as relevant to today's legal system as it was in 1893.
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