Federal courts will continue to hear and decide cases amid the U.S. government shutdown. Federal courthouses will remain open under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, the federal law that calls for “essential” work to continue in the event that federal funding is frozen. Most judicial services are considered essential- so judges will keep working, legal filings will continue to be processed and federal defenders will continue to be assigned indigent defendants.
However, courts have been encouraged to conserve as much as possible by deferring non-crucial expenses. The first two weeks following the shutdown, the courts will use revenue from filing fees and long-term appropriations that are not part of the annual budget to pay its staffers as normal.
Once those funds are exhausted, employees deemed non-essential would be furloughed without pay. Those considered essential would continue to work without pay, though they would be entitled to retroactive money after the government resumes business. Jurors will also be forced to wait until after the shutdown ends to receive payment for their service.
A memo from the courts’ central administrative office said judges should not prioritize between criminal and civil cases. During a shutdown, courts will eschew non-essential expenses, such as training, purchasing equipment and supplies and paying for travel.
While judges will continue to hear cases, the Justice Department said it will ask to postpone appearances in civil and bankruptcy cases as long as it did not compromise the safety of human life or the protection of property under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act. The Justice Department has said that criminal cases would continue to be heard without delay or interruption.
Click here to read more on the effects the government shutdown has on U.S. Federal Courts.
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The popular credit monitoring site, TransUnion reports the rate of credit card payments that are at least 90 days overdue fell in the second quarter to 0.57%, the second-lowest recorded by the agency in nearly 20 years, when the rate was 0.56%. More Americans are working to bring down their credit card balances as the U.S. credit card delinquency rate fell close to the lowest levels since 1994. The trend is positive, and according to experts may be a sign that the worst is behind for cardholders post-recession. 
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