Los Angeles County Courts Overcrowding

Los Angeles County jails and courts could soon be overwhelmed by a flood of accused criminals fighting prosecution under the state's tough new "three strikes" law, officials warned the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The rapid buildup of felony cases since the controversial sentencing law was enacted six months ago is evidence that the costs of prosecution, administration and incarceration under that law could be extraordinary, said Sheriff Sherman Block, Dist. Atty.

Los Angeles County jails and courts could soon be overwhelmed by a flood of accused criminals fighting prosecution under the state's tough new "three strikes" law, officials warned the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The rapid buildup of felony cases since the controversial sentencing law was enacted six months ago is evidence that the costs of prosecution, administration and incarceration under that law could be extraordinary, said Sheriff Sherman Block, Dist. Atty.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court is in the market to lease commercial office space for 70 courtrooms in Los Angeles, Torrance, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Long Beach. "We're shopping," court executive officer Frank Zolin said. "I'm a little leery of your saying that, because everybody and his uncle will be calling me, saying they've got space." But then he noted: "We're talking about large square footage here--a minimum of 50,000 square feet and up. . . . That ought to cut down on the calls."

The population of Los Angeles County jails swelled to more than 25,000 on Sunday--a record--as people arrested in last week's looting and riots continued to pour in from police lockups. The number of inmates was rapidly approaching the system's legal capacity of 25,488, set by a federal judge. If the jail population continues to grow, sheriff's officials will have to ask the courts to temporarily lift the limit, find a place to transfer inmates--or begin releasing them.

Some of Los Angeles County's highest ranking Municipal Court judges say they are hampered in their efforts to protect the public from dangerous criminals because they frequently must operate blindly, without criminal histories that should be provided by law enforcement agencies. As a result, the judges said in recent interviews, misdemeanor defendants who are dangerous and should be forced to pay very high bail may sometimes be freed on low bail. Robert D.

The population of Los Angeles County jails swelled to more than 25,000 on Sunday--a record--as people arrested in last week's looting and riots continued to pour in from police lockups. The number of inmates was rapidly approaching the system's legal capacity of 25,488, set by a federal judge. If the jail population continues to grow, sheriff's officials will have to ask the courts to temporarily lift the limit, find a place to transfer inmates--or begin releasing them.

New York printer John Peter Zenger was found "not guilty" Friday--252 years after and 3,000 miles away from where he was first put on trial for criminal seditious libel in the landmark case establishing that truth is not libel. The original trial, which also laid the foundation for freedom of the press in the United States, was reenacted in the Los Angeles County Courthouse by the Los Angeles County Bar Assn.

The supervising judge of San Fernando Superior Court is hoping to clear up a backlog of civil cases by offering attorneys two ways to dispose of their cases: "Set a date or have a shotgun wedding." Judge David M. Schacter said that if opposing attorneys cannot agree by Thursday on the selection of a retired judge from the so-called rent-a-judge program to hear their case, then he will pick one for them.

The Los Angeles County Bar Assn., whose members normally try their cases in Superior Court, is considering the extraordinary action of suing the court, along with government agencies that fund it, for failing to make enough courtrooms available, it was learned Friday. Bar Assn. President Larry R. Feldman confirmed that such a lawsuit is being considered. "Such a suit would not just be against the Superior Court," he said.

I used to work nights, and I didn't like it. When I was on the 3 p.m. to midnight shift, I missed dinner with my family and my social life was pretty much limited to drinking with the guys after work. On another shift, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., I felt like I was afflicted with permanent jet lag. The worst part was how others--family and friends--regarded me. They seemed to feel that anyone who worked nights couldn't be doing well on the job.

The supervising judge of San Fernando Superior Court is hoping to clear up a backlog of civil cases by offering attorneys two ways to dispose of their cases: "Set a date or have a shotgun wedding." Judge David M. Schacter said that if opposing attorneys cannot agree by Thursday on the selection of a retired judge from the so-called rent-a-judge program to hear their case, then he will pick one for them.

I used to work nights, and I didn't like it. When I was on the 3 p.m. to midnight shift, I missed dinner with my family and my social life was pretty much limited to drinking with the guys after work. On another shift, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., I felt like I was afflicted with permanent jet lag. The worst part was how others--family and friends--regarded me. They seemed to feel that anyone who worked nights couldn't be doing well on the job.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court is in the market to lease commercial office space for 70 courtrooms in Los Angeles, Torrance, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Long Beach. "We're shopping," court executive officer Frank Zolin said. "I'm a little leery of your saying that, because everybody and his uncle will be calling me, saying they've got space." But then he noted: "We're talking about large square footage here--a minimum of 50,000 square feet and up. . . . That ought to cut down on the calls."

Some of Los Angeles County's highest ranking Municipal Court judges say they are hampered in their efforts to protect the public from dangerous criminals because they frequently must operate blindly, without criminal histories that should be provided by law enforcement agencies. As a result, the judges said in recent interviews, misdemeanor defendants who are dangerous and should be forced to pay very high bail may sometimes be freed on low bail. Robert D.

New York printer John Peter Zenger was found "not guilty" Friday--252 years after and 3,000 miles away from where he was first put on trial for criminal seditious libel in the landmark case establishing that truth is not libel. The original trial, which also laid the foundation for freedom of the press in the United States, was reenacted in the Los Angeles County Courthouse by the Los Angeles County Bar Assn.

The Los Angeles County Bar Assn., whose members normally try their cases in Superior Court, is considering the extraordinary action of suing the court, along with government agencies that fund it, for failing to make enough courtrooms available, it was learned Friday. Bar Assn. President Larry R. Feldman confirmed that such a lawsuit is being considered. "Such a suit would not just be against the Superior Court," he said.