The Supreme Court is about to run out of money, and federal courts across the country are expected to run out by early next week because of the government shutdown.
The nation's top court "expects to run out of funding on October 18," Patricia McCabe, Supreme Court public information officer, told The Hill.
“As a result, the Supreme Court Building will be closed to the public until further notice. The Building will remain open for official business," McCabe continued.
"The Supreme Court will continue to conduct essential work such as hearing oral arguments, issuing orders and opinions, processing case filings, and providing police and building support needed for those operations.”
Federal courts are expected to see their funding dry up Oct. 20, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said Friday.
"Federal judges will continue to serve, in accordance with the Constitution, but court staff may only perform certain excepted activities permitted under the Anti-Deficiency Act," the office said in a statement.
Excepted work includes activities needed to perform constitutional functions for the safety of human life and protection of property, the statement said. This and all other excepted work is to be performed without pay, and staff members not performing excepted work will be furloughed, the statement continued.
Money meant for jury programs will continue to operate, and jurors will follow court instructions as directed. Case information available through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records will continue to be in operation for filing documents.
Federal courts will be able to perform "limited additional work" using court fee balances and any other funding that does not rely on new congressional appropriation. This limited work can be done the weekend before the funding runs out Monday.
Additionally, individual courts will determine which cases can continue on schedule and which cases can be delayed.
How those courts operate going forward is up to each individual one of the 94 federal judicial districts in the country. Future operations could also depend on staffing resources necessary.
It is far from clear when the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, will end.
Democrats and Republicans have not agreed to a new bill to fund the government, and Democrats have repeatedly blocked a House GOP bill to fund the government because it does not to extend health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year.
Zach Schonfeld contributed.
Source: The Hill - News
