The State - News from Feb. 29, 1988

For the next two months, Santa Clara County will place nearly all its pending civil cases on hold so that judges can be reassigned to a backlog of about 600 criminal cases. The unusual moratorium, which begins today, means about 400 cases involving matters such as personal injuries, business deals, labor issues and landlord-tenant disputes will be delayed. Presiding Superior Court Judge Peter Stone said the moratorium is a drastic solution, but there was no alternative to the problem of backed-up criminal cases. Half of the court’s 24 judges are now assigned to criminal cases. Eight judges who normally handle civil cases will join them today to clear the criminal calendar. Stone said he hoped that by the time the moratorium ends, county officials would increase trial court funding to hire 17 new judges.