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(AP) - Gov. Tim Pawlenty is pushing back against
a drive by state court officials to avert funding cuts.

      Court officials, including Chief Justice Eric Magnuson, have
been traveling the state to warn that significant funding cuts
would reduce court service to unacceptable levels.


      Pawlenty told the West Central Tribune that court budgets need
trimming as a way to pressure them to change. Pawlenty says the
court system is antiquated and needs improved processes, such as
all-electronic systems for paperwork.


      Court officials talked about just those kinds of changes at a
House committee meeting in St. Paul this week, but their timetable
would do it later than Pawlenty apparently wants.
      

If Pawlenty's budget plan prevails, court leaders have said they
expect to lose about 15 percent of their workforce and will have to
stop hearing some lesser cases.


      But Pawlenty says a middle ground can be found with reform to
make courts more efficient.


      Information from: West Central Tribune, http://www.wctrib.com
      

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Gov. Tim Pawlenty is pushing back against
a drive by state court officials to avert funding cuts.  Pawlenty said that court budgets need
trimming as a way to pressure them to modernize their inefficient processes.

Pawlenty: Courts need to modernize

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