A Sangamon County judge says he is "aghast" at the hardships created by Gov. Pat Quinn's decision to cancel salaries for the state's regional school superintendents.
But Judge John Schmidt also indicated Thursday that he's reluctant to interfere with the executive branch by ordering Quinn to restore the money.
Schmidt said he'll announce his decision in the case at noon on Friday.
Quinn used his veto powers to halt paychecks for 44 regional superintendents and their assistants. He says they're unneeded bureaucrats and the state shouldn't have to pay them.
The superintendents argue they are elected officials whose salaries must be paid under state law. They've been working for nearly two months without pay.
Regional superintendents perform a variety of duties, from inspecting school buildings to running GED programs.
