The price of justice (aka the costs of Booker)

The ever speedy How Appealing (which looks extra pretty with its move to Movable Type) earlier today had posted here today's interesting news release from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, which declares "Courts Gird for Likely Impact of Sentencing Appeals, Class Action Lawsuits" and details that President Bush has now forwarded to Congress the judiciary's Booker-inspired request for $91.3 million in supplemental funding for the current fiscal year.  As further detailed in this letter from Leonidas Ralph Mecham, director of the Administrative Office of the US Courts, to President Bush, the Judicial Conference asked for a total emergency supplemental appropriations of $101.8 million, with the additional $10.5 million sought to cover the impact of the recent federal class action legislation.

Though the news release and letter are interesting, even more fascinating (and worthy of future posts this weekend) is this memo providing the Judicial Conference's detailed description of the cost impact of Booker.  The memo allocates the $91.3 million in requested additional funding by earmarking $30 million for district and circuit courts, $60 million for defender services, and a (measly?) $1.4 million for the Federal Judicial Center and the US Sentencing Commission.

Though the memo reviewing cost estimates is quite thoughtful and thorough, I think it may under-estimate the judiciary's post-Booker needs in various ways.  Moreover, this request for funds does not address the added costs being borne by the Justice Department in the wake of Booker, nor the additional costs that would surely flow if (when?) Congress potentially muddies up the federal sentencing waters further through some form of Booker "fix."