By Scott D. Fink, Esq.

In a recent open meeting between Judges, the Clerk of Courts and practitioners in the Northern District of Ohio Bankruptcy Court (which covers Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Toledo and Youngstown), it was announced that the Court’s budget had been finalized and that the sum of approximately $8 million was being allocated to the Court to cover operating expenses for the current fiscal year.

From these funds, the Court pays all its operating expenses, including salaries and utilities.  It was also announced that, based upon the current year budget, the Court did not foresee the need for any cutbacks or layoffs, but cautioned that forecasts for next year indicate gloomier times ahead, with possible cutbacks on the horizon for fiscal year 2011.

It was also announced that, over the past four years, the Northern District of Ohio Bankruptcy Court had actually returned about $3.2 million in budgeted funds to the Federal government that went unused.  It’s good to see a Federal agency acting as a responsible steward of the taxpayer’s money and the Court should be applauded for such actions.  

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Scott Fink, Esq. Scott is an Associate in the Bankruptcy department of the Brooklyn Heights office of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA. He can be reached at 216.739.5644 or via e-mail at sfink@weltman.com.