By RYAN CHRISTNER

rchristner@dailynews.net

If getting ticketed for a traffic offense wasn't unpleasant enough, the recent addition of a $10 surcharge to the current fees for that and many other kinds of cases will make trips to the courthouse weigh a little heavier on Kansans' pocketbooks.

Having gone into effect Wednesday, the change affects the costs already associated with most legal matters, including driver's license reinstatement, obtaining a marriage license and filing an appeal.

The move is in response to a 13.8 percent, or nearly $16 million, cut in the 2010 state court system budget and is projected to make up about $5 million.

Combined with earlier revenue-increasing measures, such as a withdrawal of funding for temporary part-time court employees and a statewide court hiring freeze, the Kansas Judicial Branch still is short $8.1 million.

If more money is not secured, Chief Justice Robert E. Davis has warned all non-judicial employees that it might be necessary to impose 30 days of furloughs.

That is the equivalent of shutting down state courts one week each month for six months beginning in January.

The Kansas Supreme Court has applied for a $2.6 million federal stimulus grant and is hoping the remainder will be secured through supplemental funding from the Legislature when it reconvenes in January.

Gov. Mark Parkinson and legislative leaders already have pledged to work toward that goal.

Ellis County Court Administrator Phil Fielder said the increased fees have not yet caused much of a buzz locally, but he added the part-time employee funding cut did have an effect.

Fielder said two temporary workers, who helped with filing and various secretarial duties, have since been let go, and it affects his office's decision to close from 4 to 5 p.m. to allow staff to catch up on work.

The problem faced by the Kansas Judicial Branch, Fielder said, is that 98 percent of its budget goes to salaries, so personnel make up a disproportionate part of the target when looking for places to cut.

"My employees are worried about furloughs and all that," he said.

Unfortunately, as with cuts to other agencies, government personnel aren't the only ones affected by the changes.

The "cut and resulting court closings would have devastating consequences for our most vulnerable Kansas citizens," Davis said in a statement. "Children in need of care, persons seeking protection from abuse and protection from stalking and persons and their families who are seeking mental health or substance abuse treatment all would be placed at risk."

Not only that, but supervision of offenders by court service officers would suffer, and it could be difficult to meet filing and other deadlines pertaining to the right to a speedy trial and other Kansas statutes, he added.

In times of budgetary crisis, however, implementing unwanted policies often becomes a necessary practice.

"I don't think the courts wanted another surcharge," Fielder said, "but we've got to stay open somehow."

A complete listing of the new court fee schedule is available at www.kscourts.gov.