LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - A legislative budget mandate to spend $7.8
million next fiscal year on pay raises for deputy clerks is being
defied by the state court system.

In defiance of the recently passed state budget, the Court of
Justice provided $3.4 million in "pay equity" raises for the
judicial branch's non-elected employees. Those making less than
$60,000 a year would be affected.

All state employees get a 1 percent raise and the legislature
had only authorized pay raises for the approximately 1,800 deputy
clerks in courthouses throughout the state.

Several powerful legislators claim the judicial branch is not
complying with the law. Some lawmakers say it could strain
relations between the branches.