Judge: Illinois court running out of money due to shutdown

BENTON, Ill. (AP) - The chief federal judge for Southern Illinois says if a partial government shutdown continues past early February the court may run out of money to pay jurors and employees and may place a moratorium on civil trials.

Chief Judge Michael Reagan of the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Illinois tells The Southern Illinoisan a lapse in funding could undermine the judicial system.

Reagan says the court's roughly 100 employees have been getting paid but if the shutdown continues they'll receive one week's salary in their Feb. 8 paycheck rather than two. After that they won't receive a salary until the government fully reopens.

He says jurors for criminal trials won't get their per diem until the government is fully funded.

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Information from: Southern Illinoisan, http://www.southernillinoisan.com