COURT SYSTEM AVOIDS A STIFF SENTENCE.(MAIN)

Byline: JOHN CAHER Staff writer

ALBANY After slicing $50 million from its own budget, the judiciary emerged as one of the few winners Wednesday, with the governor and chief judge tentatively agreeing on a spending plan that will modestly increase funding for the court system while avoiding any layoffs or cutbacks.

The $935 million judiciary budget presented by the governor calls for a 3 percent increase and a freeze on ``hiring of all nonessential personnel,'' but no layoffs or drastic reductions or changes.

It seems to indicate that Gov. George Pataki and Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye, leaders of coequal branches of government, have forged at …