Friday, June 5, 2009

Judge Files Suit Over Budget

Mahoning County's Probate Judge is going to court to get the funding he says he needs.

Judge Mark Belinky filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of Ohio asking the justices to order Mahoning County Commissioners to fully fund his operation. In their 2009 budget, commissioners set aside less than $700,000 for Probate Court, more than $200,000 short of Belinky's request.

This isn't the first time Commissioners have been sued over the Probate budget. They lost a similar complaint filed six years ago.

Belinky says he's requesting an expedited decision in the case, telling us he's in danger of running out of money for his court by October.

Source:
Probate Judge Sues Over Budget

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, be sure that if he's short on budget, the county will just impose more guardianships on innocent vulnerable people.

Anonymous said...

You have to admire Judge Mark Belinky for not sitting back and complaining. He is doing something about it; I hope he is successful. You'd think the Commissioners would realize what is coming a re-run of a past experience that they lost.

I question how much money will be spent by the Mahoning County Commissioners to retain counsel to defend themselves in this lawsuit?

Couldn't that money be better spent? Maybe towards the probate budget?

Anonymous said...

Vulnerable people beware - Mahoning County will be looking for victims!

Anonymous said...

If laws were followed, the probate court wouldn't be so busy. A shortage of money is a good thing -less people will be victimized.