SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) – More than a half-billion dollars in cuts have been proposed to the state’s court system, potentially making it harder to pay a traffic fine or get a divorce.

Gov. Jerry Brown is trying to fill an estimated $16 Billion budget gap, and cuts to the courts is part of his recently released, revised budget.

Judicial advocates consider it something along the lines of salt in the wound – considering the proposed cuts are on top of another half-billion in court reductions over the past four years.

“We’ve been so successful in protecting essential court services and the trial courts that, from the governor’s perspective, the trial courts have largely been held harmless from budget reductions,” suggested California Courts Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakayue.

“If these budget proposals really get passed, we’re looking at lines here at the Civic Center courthouse that might stretch two blocks and lines at the Hall of Justice for the traffic division where it might take you a whole day before you can pay your traffic citation,” warned San Francisco County Superior Court executive officer Mike Yuen.

Salvation, suggested Yuen, was in the hands of California’s Legislature, which he doubted would act before the June 5 election.

KCBS’ Bob Butler Reports:

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