Which Way, L.A.?
Courtroom Cuts Underway in LA County
California's court system is the largest in the US and one of the most underfunded. After $1 billion in cuts, the downsizing is starting to be felt. Is justice at stake?
By Warren Olney • • 26m ListenCalifornia's court system is the largest in the nation -- and one of the most underfunded. After $1 billion in budget cuts over five years, the downsizing is beginning to cause real pain. Some residents of the San Fernando Valley will have cases tried in Santa Monica. Is it just about money, or are judicial administrators also to blame? Also, Spanish-speaking Pope Francis from Buenos Aires is especially welcome here in LA, where a majority of Roman Catholics are Latinos. And a Silicon Valley start-up tries to outsmart immigration officials. On our rebroadcast of To the Point, the Republican Party struggles to define its identity.
Banner image: The Scales of Justice on the facade of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Photo by kalavinka
In this episode
3 storiesMeet the New Pope
Some 1.2 billion Roman Catholics now have a new pope, former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, who now calls himself Francis , after Saint Francis of Assissi. Christopher Kaczor is Professor of Philosophy and Catholic Theology at Loyola Marymount University.
Read the story7 minCalifornia Courts Face Financial Starvation
The judiciary is California's third branch of government, but the courts now get just one percent of the total state budget. During the past five years, the courts claimed they've lost 65 percent of their funding. This week, Chief Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye delivered her address on the state of the judiciary .
Read the story13 minCan a Silicon Valley Startup Outsmart Immigration Officials?
America's limited work-visa program is causing a crisis in the high-tech industry. Just 65,000 work-visas are issued each year and many foreigners educated in the US — sometimes at taxpayer expense — have to stay on waiting lists for years.
Read the story7 min