Alabama's new chief justice, Roy Moore, says the judicial system is being cut out of existence.

Moore says the state General Fund appropriation for the court system is less now that when he began his first term in 2001.

He said legislation passed last year to increase court fees isn't producing the revenue that state officials forecast for the courts.

He predicts that Gov. Robert Bentley's proposed budget for the courts in the new fiscal year will leave a $19 million shortfall and cause more layoffs.

Moore expressed his concerns in a letter to the governor.

A spokesman for the governor said he had no comment.