Organically published in The Daily Journal on October 29, 2012

California's cash-strapped state courts face severe cuts in the face of a budget crisis that threatens to usher in a "new normal" for civil litigation.

That new normal includes dramatically reduced resources, staff reductions at all levels and courtroom closures. Already, Los Angeles County Superior Court has closed more that 50 courtrooms countywide; this at a time when the number of cases being filed is increasing.

In light of this, there will likely be significant delays in calendaring demurrers and summary judgment motions. Average time to trial for all civil cases is rising, nudging the courts closer to similar conditions present in the earlly 1980s, when only five-year cases were going to trial...