Despite all that and even with a looming (and large) state budget deficit, the Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty must make a top priority next session of meeting the recent funding request from Minnesota’s courts system.

The system, already operating with a projected $19 million shortfall after instituting several painful cuts this summer, is in desperate need of about $54 million in additional aid for the 2010-11 biennium.

Remember, legislators and the governor largely created this situation with their latest budget-balancing efforts. They need to fix it or justice might not just be delayed (even more); it might well be denied statewide.

The Minnesota Judicial Council, the administrative governing body for the state’s trial and appellate courts, is asking for the aid because its 2,900 employees and 315 judges simply cannot keep up with the more than 2 million cases processed annually.

Examples began showing up in July, when about 70 full-time public defenders lost jobs. Since then, the warnings about clogged courts, overworked staff and underrepresented residents have proven mostly true.

Several recent media reports about the $54 million request detailed how some court offices are reducing operating hours, how more Minnesotans don’t have the legal help they need in custody cases, how judges are forgoing vacations and time off, and even how juror pay was cut in half — all in the name of trying to keep the court system from falling further behind.

It’s also prompted the Minnesota Courts Information Office to predict more dire circumstances if funding isn’t restored. Having already cut 9 percent of support staff, the courts project an additional 261 positions will have to be cut during the next two years if funding isn’t increased.

No wonder Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson is leading what is an admittedly early charge to set the agenda for the 2009 Legislature and Pawlenty.

Still, lawmakers should listen carefully.

Sure, finding ways to provide an adequately resourced justice system may not make for clever campaign slogans or polished political resumes, but it does insure the state can deliver justice for all. And that’s clearly a priority in jeopardy at this time.