Federal Courthouse and Agencies affected by sequestration
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Story/Copyright 2013
The 2013 sequestration cuts of the United States federal budget which took effect on March 1, 2013 is now affecting the United States District Courts, the United States Magistrate Courts, the United States District Clerk, the United States Probation, the United States Pre-Trial Services, and the United States Federal Public Defender, including the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division.
On April 17, 2013, United States District Court Judge Alia Moses for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, issued an Order stating that “due to the uncertainties caused by sequestration and the need to have some of our Court employees furloughed, this Court finds it necessary to close the Del Rio Federal Courthouse on April 19, 2013, May 3, 2013, May 17, 2013, May 31, 2013, June 14, 2013, June 28, 2013, July 12, 2013, July 26, 2013, August 9, 2013, August 23, 2013, September 6, 2013, and September 20, 2013.”
U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ordered that the Federal Courthouse in Del Rio is closed from public access for the entire days listed above due to the sequestration.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, is the busiest in the United States with the most case dispositions annually. The closure of the Federal Courthouse in Del Rio due to the sequestration will mean that the public and individuals who have business before one of the impacted federal courthouse agencies will not be able to transact their personal business on the days the courthouse will be closed. These closures will undoubtedly delay the business, including disposition of cases, of the Federal Courthouse and related agencies in the Del Rio Division in Del Rio, Texas.
Federal employees of the federal courthouse agencies impacted by sequestration have already received orders of furloughs from work during every pay period until Congress either restores funding or the start of the new federal fiscal year which commences on October 1, 2013.
