Fifth Circuit Court Clerk Karen Nicolai said state cuts that have forced her to downsize staff and shave office hours couldn’t come at a worse time. The numbers of circuit civil cases are up 72 percent since January, Nicolai said. That includes cases involving foreclosures and sinkhole claims.  Beginning July 1, she will trim two hours a day off office operations, which means the public can conduct business from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. During those two hours, the remaining staff would try to deal with the backlog of civil cases, Nicolai said. The number of foreclosures alone is enough to keep staff busy, she added. The situation is not much better in Pasco County, where several positions were changed or eliminated.  Sixth Circuit Court Clerk Paula O’Neil said some offices will close an hour early — at 4 p.m. — to reduce costs.  (Read Full Article Here)