Malibu Courthouse to No Longer Handle Cases Amid County Budget Cuts

Courtrooms across Los Angeles County are being shuttered amid deep budget cuts, including at the Malibu Courthouse on Civic Center Way, according to reports.

In all, 10 courtrooms across the county are being closed in Malibu, Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles, Huntington Park, Whittier, Pomona and San Pedro, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The courthouses will no longer hear cases, but will continue to process traffic tickets and other administrative matters, the LA Times reported.

The budget cuts are expected to be rolled out over the next six months.

According to the L.A. County Superior Court website, Malibu has one active courtroom, where Superior Court Judge Lawrence Mira presides.

Mira took over for former Malibu judge, John Merrick, who died in July at the age of 93.

Merrick traveled back and forth between the courthouses in Calabasas and Malibu to hear cases, starting when he was elected Judge of the Malibu Judicial District where he served on the bench for 22 years.

At a memorial service at Pepperdine University, Mira recalled that Merrick turned to him to come up with a description for the "traveling program."

"[John Merrick] said, 'I think I will call it, 'Have robe, will travel,'" Mira recalled.

Malibu Patch will have more on this story soon.