Despite long hours of negotiation over the weekend, it appears that California court-appointed appellate attorneys will start getting paid in IOUs starting on Thursday.
When the state last issued IOUs, also known as registered warrants, in the early 1990's, many banks honored them and allowed recipients to exchange them for cash. But they’re under no obligation to do so this time around. And this time the IOU recipients will include public agencies, not individual employees. So far, there is no list of banks who have committed to accepting the IOU's leaving many appellate attorneys concerned about their immediate financial future.
If the State's cash deficit/budget impasse continues, court appointed appellate counsel may have to seek out non-traditional loans. Daniels Capital Corporation and Esquire Advance both offer funding to court appointed attorneys waiting to receive funding from the State or Federal government. While neither company is offering to advance funding for free, the companies provide a lifesaver to dedicated court appointed appellate attorneys who cannot wait for our State to stop playing political games.
