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Federal Courts Seek Emergency Funding
in Hurricane Katrina's Wake

The nation's federal court system has asked the President for a $65.5 million emergency supplemental appropriations to cope with the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

In September 16 letter, the policy-making Judicial Conference of the United States told the President that the request is aimed at covering costs of relocating more than 400 judges and court staff members. The letter, signed by Conference Secretary Leonidas Ralph Mecham, urged the President to transmit the request to Congress as quickly as possible.

"Hurricane Katrina has resulted in the closing of the John Minor Wisdom U.S. Court of Appeals Building and the Hale Boggs U.S. Courthouse in New Orleans as well as the federal court houses in Hattiesburg and Gulfport, Mississippi," Mecham's letter said. "Affected operations include the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals as well as the district and bankruptcy courts, and probation, pretrial services and federal public defender offices in the districts of Louisiana Eastern and Mississippi Southern."

Relocation of judges and court staff members in Louisiana is being made to Houston and three cities in Louisiana – Baton Rouge, Houma and Lafayette. In Mississippi, judges and court employees are being relocated as well.

"The amount requested includes costs associated with travel and per diem," the letter said. "In addition, also included are costs associated with space rental and the provisions of supplies and equipment for the temporary locations, as well as the cost to replace furniture and equipment that were damaged by the hurricane."

Mecham said the request "assumes we will not be able to reoccupy and hold court in the affected facilities for the next six months."

At its September 20 meeting, the Judicial Conference adopted a resolution that "notes with deepest appreciation the extraordinary performance and exemplary dedication to the administration of justice of the federal court personnel who are working to help" the courts affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The resolution cited judges and court employees of the Fifth and Eleventh judicial circuits "who have suffered great personal loss but continue to work tirelessly to restore court operations."