HomeMy WebLinkAboutBC Public Law Library BUTrL-COUNTY
ADMINIST N110N
BUTTE COUNTY PUBLIC LAW LIBRARY MAR 3 0 2017
OROVILLE,CAI,i:0k v i;
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
RAOUL J. LECLERC,ESQ., PRESIDENT
JUDGE MICHAEL R. DEEMS
R. BRUCE FINCH, ESQ
BRADDON B. HATCH,ESQ.
ANDREW T. HOLCOMBE, ESQ.
JUDGE KRISTEN A. LUCENA
LIBRARY DIRECTOR March 28, 2017
JOHN A.ZORBAS
ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN
JOYCE M.MONDAY
Honorable Bill Connelly, Chair
BUTTE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
Mr. Paul Hahn, Chief Administrative Officer
COUNTY OF BUTTE
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95965
Re: $20,000 from General Fund
Gentlemen:
Butte County Public Law Library serves an important public service for residents of Butte County and the
North State. The Library fills needed and necessary access to legal information and provides a unique
service niche to a wide Butte County public that is without the means to hire a lawyer to address his or her
need and would be without help but for the law library, which is staffed by a lawyer, who has been on staff
for more-than twenty years.
Over 7,000 individuals in 2015216(over 90 percent of which were from Butte County) contacted the Law
Library for information,for law citations, and for assistance in completing court forms and other
government agency submissions. Referrals to the Law Library come from the Superior Court,from the
Butte County Sheriff, and from Legal Services of Northern California.
The Law Library is a county function and not part of the State Court. Although in the past there has been
some assistance from the Court, owing to the condition of court funding as shown at
http://www.buttecountylawlibrary.org/support.htmi, county law libraries—Statewide--are rapidly
approaching the point where the Counties must step up and act pursuant to authority granted in Business
and Professions Code section 6324 and backfill' lost revenue the decline in court funding has caused, or the
libraries will be lost.
The twin ingredients of a large population relative-to other North State counties and a board of
supervisors that stepped-up and approved funding increases for the law library from court fees, by
Ordinance in 1990 that increased the fee distribution from $12 to$20, by Ordinance in 1996 that
increased the fee distribution from $20 to$23, by Ordinance in 2000 that increased the fee distribution
from$23 to$26, by Ordinance in 2005 that increased the fee distribution from $26 to$29, by Resolution
in 2006 that increased the fee distribution under the Uniform Civil Fee and Standard Fee Schedule Act of
2005 from $29 to$32 and by Resolution in 2007 that increased the fee distribution under the Uniform
Civil Fee and Standard Fee Schedule Act of 2005 from $32 to$35 has enabled us thus far to weather the
1675 Montgornery Street Oroville, CA 95965 Telephone 530.538.7122 Fax 530.534.1499
publiclawlibrarian@gmail.com
storm the decline impaid civil filings brom8hit-on: This, coupled with gifts of$45,000 and $15/0OOvwe
received from agenerous benefactor and friend.
The staff has astrong commitment topublic service. John Zorbesour Director has served asajudge pro
tem in the Small Claims Division of the Superior Court nearly forty times, beginning around 1998; he also
was a member of the California Judicial Council's Task Force on Self Represented Litigants from Z0U4to
2014 and is a current member of the Board of Directors of Legal Services of Northern California, Inc, Joyce
Monday has served on the City of Oroville Planning Commission and was an intake worker for Legal
Services of Northern California prior-to coming to work for the Law Library, thirteen years ago in 2003, and
prior,
The Council of California County Law Librarians (CCCLL) has made a concerted effort this year and last year
to secure an appropriation from the State General Fund to backD|| some ofthe lost revenue. These efforts
are ongoing. Mr. Zorbasserves asamember ofC[[LL'sLegislation Committee, |mpreparing adraft
budget for 2016-'17, Zorbas stated the need for 11,000 in generated revenues and cautioned that the
11,000 could become 19,000 if revenues from court fee receipts continue to decline. Court fee receipts
have continued todecline:The April 2015-Apri| 2O1Gaverage was 11,30O; the January-May 2O16average
is 10,600. The public needs the help. Law Library's services are in ever-increasing demand.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors has come to our aid in every decade to sustain our funding. In
2008,the statutes permitted the Board of Supervisors to utilize,a statutorily-defined dollar amount from
court fees asthe fund from which new funds would come, The Uniform Filing Fee and Standard Fee
Schedule Act of2O05took away this authority, effective January I, 2OO8. Retained, however, isthe Board
of Supervisors' authority granted by Business and Professions Code section 6324 to grant a disbursement
from county general funds. Atthis juncture, apledge of$2U,000 from county general funds (sneeded for
the law library and staff to continue its and their service to a large public that is deserving of assistance in
the ZO16217year upcoming.
[CCLL)scontinuing its efforts otachieving sustained state funding. Californians needing its services are
large in numbers a,nd are deserving of its members assistance. The Butte County Bar Association and the
SU_6p_01rAor Court support the efforts of the Law Library, as do I and the Board ofTrustees.
4 rc, Esq.
President
1675 Montgomery Street ()nnrille, (Ag59b5 Telephone 530.538,7122 Fax 530.534.1499
publiclawlibrarian@gmail.com