2009 Kitsap County Budget Book - Kitsap County Government

DISTRICT COURT
I. Budget Overview
Other
Services
$175,716
Supplies
$18,792
Personnel
Benefits
$671,806
Expenses
Interfund
Payments
$111,641
Salaries
$1,995,552
Budget Summary
2009 Budget $2,973,507
2008 Budget $3,011,808
Change from 2008 to 2009 ($38,301)
2009 FTEs: 34.4
2008 FTEs: 35.4
2007 FTEs 37.0
2009 Frozen 3 0
Other Sources
$103,000
Revenue
Charges for
Service
$1,052,750
Percentage of Total Budget
District
Court, 3%
Miscellaneous
$486,000
Fines &
Forfeits
$2,138,900
Significant Budget Issues
1. How to fund the North Court location and assure operational funds to support satellite operations?
2. The State Auditor is critical of District Court accounting procedures regarding the lack of an independent approval process
for corrections, deletions and/or refunds. This issue is a result of too few staff at satellite locations.
Budget restraints caused the stoppage of the following in 2008:
Imaging/Scanning, ICAOS for Muni Courts @ $40 each, Setting of DV unified hearings, Printing calendars for Public Defense
attorneys, Production of internal agency lists, Making copies for small claims litigants, Notification of issuance of bench warrants,
Warrant fests, 2 nd attempts at summoning, Consolidating satellite files to Port Orchard, Auditing files for destruction, Updating
website, Compliance with State Auditor request for a person to approve “CAR” corrections, Delay of revocation of defendant
infractions due to lack of payment, Failure to respond to UBA request for information, Conference/Training attendance, Limitation of
Discovery on infractions, Docket printing on small claims, Collection processes were halted temporarily in order to keep current with
the time sensitive tasks of the court.
Historical Trends/Industry Standards
Small Claims: Cases $5,000 and under in which people are suing for loss of money only. Attorneys are not allowed to
represent litigants in Small Claims.
DV / UH: Domestic violence and unlawful harassment cases. These result in the issuance of Civil No Contact Orders.
Judgment Transcripts: Small claims cases. In order to collect on unpaid Small Claims judgments, the prevailing party must
request a judgment transcript.
Felonies: The District Court handles all fugitives from justice regarding persons who are wanted in other states. The Court also
hears felony diversion cases rather than those being filed in Superior Court.
82