Protesters Rally Against Court Closures

The proposed cuts were introduced last year. (Margaret Lanker/ATVN)

The "Save our Courts" coalition, comprised of the ACLU Southern California, People for Comunity Involvement and SEIU Local 721, protested the cuts because they would force workers to travel long distances and wait in long lines to access court services.

The cuts are aimed at closing a shortfall in the court system budget of up to $85 million by the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1. Court officials said that after years of budget cuts, which included hundreds of layoffs and positions going unfilled, services need to be reduced.

Court reporter Arnella Sims said she was protesting further cuts to vital services.

"It just feels like the dismantling of our courts in LA county," Sims said. "The system cannot handle any more cuts. And this is the result that we're seeing not enough funding which is now greatly going to impact the public."

Several legal aid organizations filed a lawsuit Wednesday opposing the cuts, claiming the closures will place an undue burden on low-income residents. Judicial Assistant Cher Mason called the cuts unfair.

"I realize that it all comes down to money, but I don't think it's fair at all that you make the general public and people who are basically forced to be here as part of a lawsuit or any other type of case pay the price for it," Mason said.

If the proposal goes through, eight court houses in L.A. County, including those in Malibu, West L.A. and San Pedro will shut down by July 1.