Gov. Brown Looks to Hike Court Fees to Balance Budget

Californians may have to pay even more to fight tickets or access state records

California residents who want to fight a traffic ticket from home or get copies of legal paperwork would have to shell out more money under Gov. Jerry Brown's "austerity" budget plan for state courts next year.

The governor's spending plan adopts 11 recommendations for increased costs or reduced services that were recommended last month to the state Judicial Council. They help offset some $200 million in cuts Brown warns the state's trial court system will have to make starting the 2014-15 fiscal year. Brown proposes borrowing $200 million from courthouse construction accounts to get the system through the next year.

The fee to oppose a traffic ticket by mail in your home county would go to $50, bringing in $3.2 million more to the state.