The deadline is looming on layoffs for court reporters in the state of Illinois, and judges are holding a special meeting Friday to talk about the next step.
"It's a crisis. It's a crisis to the system, it's a crisis to our court reporters. They are family and they have families," said Chief Judge Walter Braud, head of the 14th Judicial Circuit.
Chief judges around the state are meeting Friday morning in Chicago to discuss the next step if a solution isn't reached to close a $14 million dollar shortfall in the fund that pays the salaries of court reporters.
Last week, the Illinois Supreme Court directed the chief judges to prepare contingency plans to lay or furlough court reporters, starting April 1.
"We have 12 and will have to reduce the total amount of hours we have for them by one half to one third," Judge Braud said.
"We are cutting human beings who have families. They are vital to what we do," he said.
Further delays in an already back-logged judicial system are expected. But no one is clear what the impact will be, because the situation is uncharted territory.
Lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner could still come up with a stopgap measure.
"There are rumblings that at least people are at the table and if they're at the table I would think they would not allow this to happen," Judge Braud said.