Frustrated SC chief justice calls court funding ‘pre-ordained charade’ by State House leaders

South Carolina’s chief justice is frustrated with the way state lawmakers treated the judicial branch in writing this year’s state budget.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reports that Chief Justice Costa Pleicones sent an email to legislators who are also lawyers complaining about what he called the “dismissive treatment” of the judiciary by state budget writers.

Pleicones says the operational budget for the courts continues to be underfunded and hurts the ability of the courts to deliver the service South Carolinians expect.

Pleicones did not mention specific dollar amounts but said legislative budget committees took part in what he called “a pre-ordained charade” in minimizing the judiciary’s most recent budget request.

He says he’s not optimistic about the prospects for the future if the practice continues.

This story was originally published July 11, 2016 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Frustrated SC chief justice calls court funding ‘pre-ordained charade’ by State House leaders."