In his Dec. 31 “state of the judiciary” report, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. blasted not only the high-profile mandatory budget “sequestration” cuts, but noted that funding has been an issue for more than a decade. While much of the focus was on criminal court challenges, like paying for public defenders, the Chief Justice also noted that “… reductions have created widespread delays in civil and bankruptcy cases.” Over time, he said, these delays will give rise to “commercial uncertainty, lost opportunities and unvindicated rights.”

Here’s The New York Times coverage of the report: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/us/politics/budget-cuts-imperil-court-system-chief-justice-says.html?_r=0