NCJ Number
78348
Date Published
1980
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This report analyzes available data relating to costs incurred by Wisconsin and county governments for operating the trial court system, as well as revenues generated from trial court user fees, fines, forfeitures, and penalty assessments.
Abstract
All financial data were obtained from calendar year 1979 financial reports and from estimated State expenditures for operating the trial courts during fiscal year 1979-1980. The State spent approximately $15.7 million on the trial courts, a 150-percent increase over 1973-1974 expenditures. While some of these increases are due to significant raises for circuit judges and court reporters, other contributing factors include increases in the authorized number of circuit judges, the conversion of county court judges to circuit judges, and the gradual full assumption of judicial and court reporter compensation by the State as a result of 1979 court reorganization legislation. The State recovers nearly 84 percent of its trial court expenditures from court-related revenues (such as user fees and criminal and civil penalty proceeds). While this ratio appears quite favorable when compared to the overall 40-percent recovery of local trial court expenditures by the counties, all of the State's revenue is earmarked for specific purposes and cannot be used to fund the court system. Tables are included.