The Northern District of Illinois, which includes the Stanley J. Roszkowski U.S. Courthouse in Rockford, announced that court employees will stop receiving pay and operations will be reduced starting Oct. 18 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall explained that the court is entering Phase 2 of operating during a lapse in appropriations. Under Phase 2, payment stoppages will occur, and the court will only perform “excepted” duties required to avoid violations of the Antideficiency Act, which covers constitutional functions and emergency situations.
The Clerk’s Office will operate at 78% of authorized staffing levels. Judge Kendall said:
“I am concerned that the lack of appropriation will create delays in the court’s ability to ensure timely justice. Furthermore, the dedicated public servants… are now feeling the pain of their paychecks being suspended and facing difficult financial decisions to keep their families afloat because of the shutdown.”
Since Oct. 1, the court has been in Phase 1, pausing all civil litigation involving the United States as a party. All deadlines in these cases have been stayed, with limited exceptions.
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts confirmed that courts have enough funds to continue paying petit and grand jurors, so trials and grand jury sessions will proceed until juror fees are exhausted.
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