Western Illinois courts notify court reporters of layoffs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A judge in western Illinois has issued layoff notices to six of 10 court reporters as he tries to stretch his dollars in a state budget crisis.

James Stewart is chief judge of the 9th Judicial Circuit based in Macomb. He told The Associated Press Tuesday that he personally notified the reporters of his plan as lawmakers in Springfield continue to disagree on how to close a $1.6 billion budget hole.

Stewart says the remaining four will work only three days a week. Two counties in the circuit - Hancock and Henderson - will rely solely on electronic recording of court sessions.

The state Supreme Court ordered each of the state's 24 circuits to fashion by Friday emergency plans for operating beyond March 31 if there's no solution from Springfield.