Three North Carolina courthouses could be closed as a cost cutting measure.
Jeff Tiberii: The federal Government ranked 60 federal court facilities that could be shut down based on cost, useage and location. Bryson City was the fourth most likely to be closed, Wilkesboro was ranked 24th and Fayetteville was the last courthouse on the list. Government officials are trying to cut costs as the judiciary budget from congress has been frozen for the last three years. Most of the 60 courthouses on the list are in rural areas. Many house another federal facility such as a post office. Opponents of the move say closing them could make it more difficult for people to get to court proceedings. There are 674 federal courthouses and facilities around the country, meaning these closures amount to nearly 10-percent of the entire system.