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State Budget Crisis Created By Pandemic Triggering Court Closures In Ventura County

The state’s budget crisis caused by the pandemic is hitting home with Ventura County’s court system.  All Ventura County Superior Court courtrooms and clerical offices will be closed for 18 days between now and next July to save money. 

The first one-day shutdown is Wednesday.  Cases on the calendar have been rescheduled, and the impacted parties have been notified by the court. 

The only thing which will be open are the outside walkup windows at the Hall of Justice in Ventura, and the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley for criminal, traffic, and collection payments.

The state judicial system has been hit by a $200 million dollar budget reduction as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.  Ventura County Superior Court has an estimated $5.7 million dollar budget shortfall due to the funding reductions and increased costs.

Other closure dates this year include October 21st, November 18th and 25th, and December 16th, 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st.  Employees will take 14 furlough days and four days of annual leave.

Court closure days are not judicial holidays for purposes of filing deadlines.  People can still meet them by using drop boxes at the court facilities.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.