News Roundup

The headline news this week is that the General Assembly has agreed on a budget, and Governor McCrory has signed it. It is here. Among other provisions, it moves the SBI from the Attorney General’s office to DPS (section 17.1); requires much of the information in attorney fee applications to be made publicly available online (section 18A.1); eliminates four special superior court judgeships and adds two business court judgeships (section 18B.6); provides for $1,000 raises for most court personnel (section 35.3); and gives state employees who earn vacation leave five extra days next year. Magistrates and troopers are subject to special salary provisions that appear to be slightly more favorable.

The accompanying money report reveals that a couple of prisons will close, while a two new CRV facilities will open; IDS’s administrative budget will be cut by almost $500,000; and the AOC’s budget will be cut by almost $3 million, with an additional cut of $500,000 to the IT section.

In other news:

New chief judge for court of appeals. Chief Justice Parker has appointed Linda McGee to be the chief judge of the court of appeals. The News and Observer has the story here.

Sex offender denied physical castration. A Florida judge denied a sex offender’s request to be physically castrated. Florida law does provide for so-called chemical castration in some cases, but the judge noted that he had “never had this request [for physical castration] before.”

Blawg 100, again. I have nearly given up on the ABA ever recognizing this blog in its Blawg 100. Nearly, but not quite! Justice could yet be served! The deadline for nominations is today at 5 p.m. If you care to nominate us, you can fill out a short web form here.

“Guns? Sure I have guns, check ‘em out!” Hat tip to Jim Romenesko for his coverage of a police blotter report from Massachussetts: “[P]olice responded to a report of a man . . . with a gun. . . . [T]he man told them the only ‘guns’ he had were his biceps, which he then flexed for officers.” Boom!

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