by Mindy Aguon

Guam - The Guam Bar Association would be greatly impacted by a reduction in services at the Judiciary. With growing case loads and an ever increasing debt for indigent defense, the bar is concerned about the impact additional financial constraints on the third branch of government will have that could put a screeching halt to the wheels of justice.

Bar president Cynthia Ecube says members would very much be impacted by any additional austerity measures. She told KUAM News, "Many of us represent private clients. Entities like public defender and Guam Legal Services represent people who need attorneys who cannot afford them. It's going to have an impact many of us need to come to court, we need to come before a judge to present a case on behalf of our client. We need the court system in order to better facilitate and advocate for the interests of our client. We're very concerned about this."

Ecube adds the Guam Bar Association is committed to working with the Judiciary to ensure that programs continue and access to justice will not be compromised in the wake of the financial situation that judiciary is undergoing right now.