CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / ORANGE COUNTY

Orange County will close its courts every third Wednesday starting next month as a cost-saving measure, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The closures are scheduled to begin Aug. 19 and continue through the fiscal year, with two dates in December -- the 16th and the 30th -- to make up for no days off in July, said court spokeswoman Carole Levitzky.

Most of the court’s 1,700 employees would not receive pay on those days, which would account for an annual loss of about 4.62% of their income. Judges, as appointed or elected officials, must still be paid, but they can opt to forgo their salaries on those days, Levitzky said.

The Orange County Superior Court is hoping to save $4.9 million with the closures, Levitzky said.

Bailiffs and security officers, who are not considered court employees, may still work under the limited closures. Those not needed by the court will likely use the time for training or be moved into positions to help reduce the county sheriff’s overtime problem, said sheriff’s spokesman John McDonald.

-- Tami Abdollah