By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-968324.mp3
Buffalo, NY – State cutbacks in the unified court system have meant cutbacks in family court hours. Advocates worry that could put domestic violence victims at risk.
The unified court system saw its budget slashed by $177 million this year. Since April, that has meant fewer administrative support staff and a shorter court day to save on overtime.
Technically, court sessions now end at 4:30 PM - only a half hour earlier than before. Petitions still can be filed until 5:00 PM. But petitions for protection orders that are filed after 3:30 PM will not go before a judge until the next day - unless it is an emergency.
The Honorable Paula Feroleto is the Administrative Judge for the 8th Judicial District. She said judges in family court, and all the courts, are now doing triage.
"I call between four and five the bewitching hour every day," said Judge Feroleto. "On an emergency basis, when they've needed to request staying late they've contacted me. So, I trust their judgement. When they need to stay, they need to stay."
Judge Feroleto must then get clearance for the overtime from the state-level administrative judge. If the case is not deemed an emergency, the petitioner is told to return the following day. Judge Feroleto says, so far, no one seems to have been hurt by the shortened day.
Remla Parthasarathy is a spokesperson for the Coalition Against Family Violence. She said it might be difficult to know if a victim has been left vulnerable because a protection order was delayed.
"We don't know if their perpetrators are stalking them, if they're being followed, what this might mean in terms of their job security. Are they taking too much time off from work already for sadfety purposes - and now they have to take more days off to go to court?" said Parthasarathy.
She says some victims might simply give up.
"Fear, shame, not knowing what to expect. Those are just some of the obstacles that victims of domestic violence have to go through. Getting them to court? What a wonderful thing that is. And then to find out that, wait, I have to maybe come back tomorrow, or no one's going to see me today, or my case is not considered an emergency? All of that may be a deterent," said Parthasarathy.
Even processing the petitions soon could get tougher. Judge Feroleto said more administrative staffing cuts are expected in a system already stretched thin. She said it is estimated between 400-500 jobs will be cut in the unified court system. It is uncertain how many will be affected in the 8th Judicial District.