Juror pay emergency funding sought by New Mexico judiciary
SANTA FE — The New Mexico judiciary will ask the governor and a state finance board to approve emergency funding for jury trials and to avoid furloughs of workers at the state Supreme Court, the board said Tuesday.
Chief Supreme Court Justice Charles Daniels, who heads the state's judiciary branch, has warned lawmakers that funding to compensate jurors and interpreters will run out March 1 without extra funding.
Failure to approve it could lead to criminal cases being dismissed because of constitutional guarantees to a speedy trial, he has said. A Supreme Court justice is scheduled to represent the judiciary at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
The Democrat-controlled state Senate postponed consideration of a House-approved bill to provide nearly $600,000 to ensure jury trials can continue through early April, leaving the matter to the executive board instead.
Read more: http://www.currentargus.com/story/news/local/new-mexico/2017/02/07/nm-judiciary-seeking-emergency-funds-pay-jurors/97610568/
