Judiciary seeks $7 million boost in FY26 budget and $2.5 million Budget Adjustment Act to cover tech shortfall and sheriffs' pay

Cherry Corsone, state court administrator, told the House appropriations committee on Feb. 12 that the Judiciary's FY26 general fund request would be about $7 million higher than last year, driven largely by personnel costs and a rising technology budget.

Corsone said the judiciary had asked the legislature for a $2.5 million Budget Adjustment Act payment to cover shortfalls that were not funded in the FY25 appropriation: roughly $2.0 million for technology expenses and about $388,000 for sheriffs' cost-of-living adjustments. "The tech fund has not been sufficient to meet the technology expenses," Corsone said, noting the special technology fund's revenues — largely traffic fees and fines — have declined from an apex of about $1,600,000 to roughly $750,000 last year while technology costs increased.

Why it matters: The judiciary said it can no longer rely on the dedicated Court Technology Fund to cover growing costs tied to electronic case management, e-filing and remote hearings. Without the BAA appropriation and a change in how technology is funded,…