Ramona court to close Sept. 3

The Ramona branch court will close in two months, San Diego Superior Court officials said Tuesday.

Facing a $14 million shortfall this year, court officials said that six criminal courtrooms and one civil courtroom will be closed as of Sept. 3 — and other court services consolidated — to cut costs.

When the initial announcement came in June, no closing date was set.

San Diego Superior Court’s budget calls for cutting about 250 jobs, or closing or restructuring more than 40 courtrooms over the next two years. Total cuts for those two years could rise to more than $40 million.

The Ramona court is in the county complex in the 1400 block of Montecito Road. In addition to the downtown courtrooms and the Ramona court facility, a Juvenile Dependency courtroom in Vista also will close.

All Ramona case matters will be relocated to the courthouse in El Cajon.

In addition, the North County Probate courtroom will be closed and downtown and North County Probate Services will be consolidated.

Also beginning Sept. 3, all Superior Court business offices will close at noon every Friday.

Members of the public can comment on the planned changes on the court’s website at www.sdcourt.ca.gov and click on “Invitation to Comment.”

“The impact of these recommended reductions on the San Diego Superior Court will fundamentally alter the way in which the court does business,” Presiding Judge Robert Trentacosta said in the June 20 announcement. “No court can reduce its current operating budget by 21 percent, on top of reductions incurred during the preceding four fiscal years, without radically altering the structure, composition and capability of the court.”