https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-judges-receive-national-lgbtq-award California Judges Receive National LGBTQ+ AwardKaren.Datangel Tue, 02/11/2025 - 18:28 Feature Trailblazers in the LGBTQ+ legal community, Alameda County Judge Victoria Kolakowski and Los Angeles County Judge D. Zeke Zeidler received the 2025 Stonewall Award from the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. About the Stonewall AwardNamed after the New York City Stonewall Inn police raid and riot of June 28, 1969, which was a turning point in the gay rights movement, the national award recognizes lawyers who have advanced lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the legal profession and successfully championed LGBTQ+ legal causes.  Judge Kolakowski and Judge Zeidler join Justice Martin Jenkins of the California Supreme Court as the award honorees from California. Justice Jenkins received the award in 2021. Judge KolakowskiElected by voters to the Superior Court of Alameda County in 2011, Judge Kolakowski is the first transgender judge in California and the first transgender person to serve as a trial court judge of general jurisdiction in the United States. Prior to her election to the bench, Judge Kolakowski served as an administrative law judge and practiced as an attorney for 21 years in California and Louisiana. She is a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges. Judge Kolakowski currently serves as a district co-director for California and Nevada in the National Association of Women Judges. “It’s important for people to see and understand that [transgender people] can be judges; we can be all sorts of other things,” Judge Kolakowski said in a 2024 interview. “It’s important for people to see that this is an option if it’s something that they could aspire towards, and I've been truly amazed and blessed by the number of people who've told me that they were inspired by me being a judge to enter the legal profession, or to seek public office because they knew that I had achieved this.” In her acceptance speech at the ABA's award ceremony held February 1 in Phoenix, Judge Kolakowski spoke about her journey to the bench, being a trailblazer in her profession, and being transgender today. “All the things I learned in law school about rights, equality, and freedom -- the things that this country has always stood for -- are protected by the people in this room,” she said in her remarks. Judge ZeidlerThe first openly gay man initially elected to the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in 2004, Judge Zeidler had previously been appointed as a Juvenile Court Referee in 1998 and continues to focus on juvenile issues. Like Judge Kolakowski, he is also a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges. “A big part of judicial ethics is about treating people with dignity and respect and ensuring others are too," said Judge Zeidler in a 2024 interview. "The court deals with people from every walk of life. Understanding the litigants who come before us is a major part of the judicial branch’s dedication to diversity and inclusion." In his acceptance remarks, Judge Zeidler spoke on LGBTQ+ history and the importance of diversity on the bench. “What history teaches us is that we need to share our stories. We need to share who we are and what our experiences are.” See Judge Kolakowski and Judge Zeidler's full remarks on ABA News. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/celebrating-lgbtq-diversity-california-courts-alameda-county-judge-victoria-kolakowski Celebrating LGBTQ+ Diversity in the California Courts: Alameda County Judge Victoria KolakowskiKaren.Datangel Mon, 06/10/2024 - 11:47 Feature This June, California courts and the Judicial Council of California join the nation in recognizing LGBTQ+ Pride Month. We've spoken with a few of our LGBTQ+ identifying judges and justices about their experiences serving on the bench and how increasing diversity serves the courts and the public. Elected by voters to the Superior Court of Alameda County in 2011, Judge Victoria Kolakowski is the first transgender judge in California and the first transgender person to serve as a trial court judge of general jurisdiction in the United States. Prior to her election to the bench, Judge Kolakowski served as an administrative law judge with the California Public Utilities Commission. She is a former president of the International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges. Following are video highlights and excerpts from a conversation with Judge Kolakowski: *The text of the interview has been edited for length and clarity. On the importance of diversity in California courts: "It’s important for people in the community to see people like themselves, in the positions that are making these life-altering decisions and to recognize there are people like them [in the legal system]. It's also very important—and this is something that I did not understand as much before I became a judge—to be inside the [judicial] branch and help bring different perspectives to conversations. When there's so much that we do as judges in terms of planning, all the work that the Judicial Council does and various committees do, I think it's important that different perspectives be included, and that’s something I didn't actually appreciate as much before I became a judge. Being part of a group of people with diverse viewpoints, backgrounds of legal experiences, and life experiences helps us as a whole, as a branch, to be better, to do better, and to be better judges." On being the first transgender trial court judge in California: "One of the reasons why I ran [for trial court judge] was that it was important for people to see [openly trans] people like me in a position like this. Transgender issues and people weren't as well-known as they are now. It’s important that people in the system see that we are more than just sex workers and victims of violent crimes but we are, as a community, so much more. It’s important for people to see and understand that we can be judges; we can be all sorts of other things. It’s important for people to see that this is an option if it’s something that they could aspire towards, and I've been truly amazed and blessed by the number of people who've told me that they were inspired by me being a judge to enter the legal profession, or to seek public office because they knew that I had achieved this. The most humbling experience I had was a visit to an attorney's office a couple of years ago. The attorney brought me over to a workstation where his paralegal, who is also transgender, had two framed pictures on the wall. One was of Harvey Milk and the other was of me. I was blown away knowing that my being here and what I do touched somebody so much and that is very meaningful to me. I don't think that we appreciate sometimes how much it means to people in the [LGBTQ+] community to see themselves reflected in those places. From that perspective, I feel like it's been a great blessing for me to know that I impacted people that way." On role models and mentors going into the legal profession: "As the first openly transgender trial court judge, I don't have others that I could look back and say this person inspired me. What had inspired me are great attorneys in the past who've managed to break into the legal community and achieve great things. I was fortunate to meet Thurgood Marshall while he was still alive. He was a role model for me and looking at other people who broke through and made a difference has been inspiring to me. I didn't have a particular mentor, but I wish I had and I'm trying to be one for other people." On access to justice: "I have served on the Judicial Council's Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness and also served as a member of the California Access to Justice Commission. I've done a lot of educational work with CJER (Center for Judicial Education and Research) about trying to increase [awareness] and provide educational materials for judges on how to interact with transgender and nonbinary people in the courts. Our branch makes efforts in so many ways to try to increase diversity on the bench and to increase access to the courts. I try to use plain simple language that everybody can understand and I think that's an important part of access as well. I grew up in a poor blue-collar working family who didn't understand the law. I'm the first person in my family who went to college. It's important to remember that people are scared—not everybody in the [court]room understands what’s going on, as they don't know the [legal] language being used. I try to make sure that the prospective jurors, the litigants, and everybody feels at ease—part of that desire comes from my personal awareness and experience being part of a group where this doesn't come to me by blood. I come from a different place and it's important that we have people in our system who understand how it feels like being left out, not understanding what's happening around them. The truth is that the courts need to be for everyone, and that's what we as judges should be." https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/courts-using-data-improve-services Courts Using Data to Improve ServicesCorren, Blaine Wed, 06/15/2022 - 15:09 Feature A recent gathering of nearly 200 California court leaders and research staff focused on how data can help shed light on operational challenges and solutions, and ultimately improve court services for the public. The May 26 event, hosted both in-person and virtually by the Judicial Council, was the next step in the judicial branch’s work to build a statewide court community around data management and analytics. “Many courts are very active with data analytics but want an opportunity to collaborate with one another on shared issues,” said Leah Rose-Goodwin, manager of the council’s Office of Court Research. “The council’s role is to help foster the data community and provide support to any courts that may need assistance.” Local Courts Show How They’re Using DataAttendees heard directly from three superior courts using data to improve their operations and efficiency: Alameda County: The court collects data on multiple items related to jury service, including how many jurors are called each week, juror zip codes, and who reports and is able to serve. The court found differences in reporting rates among jurors who were summonsed for the first time, who voluntarily deferred service, and who previously failed to appear, and used that information to adjust its summonsing practices.   Placer County: The court may not be one of the largest courts in the state, but it’s not short on data. For example, the court uses the latest web apps and tools to track, present, and act on data related to new case filing trends, use of e-filing and related processing times, remote appearances, and its self-help and online chatbox services.   San Bernardino County: The county is the largest in the state by geography (20,000 square miles). The court is enhancing their data analytics tools to better gauge resource and staffing needs. By looking at its current number of judicial officers, filings, and which courthouses hear certain case types, the court is working to refine the system developed by the Judicial Council to maximize their existing resources countywide. Said Nancy Eberhardt, court executive officer for the San Bernardino Superior Court: “Measuring goes toward our accountability to the public, the legitimacy of our work, and an ability to quantify our need.” Innovations Spurred by Judicial Council GrantOrange County Superior Court was among the first courts to build a cloud-based data warehouse, using funds from the Judicial Council’s Court Innovations Grant Program instituted in 2016. Fifty other projects across 30 trial and appellate courts statewide received innovation grants to create new tools and programs that could be replicated statewide. The early success of the Orange court’s data project inspired a branchwide framework focused on data governance. Building on that momentum, the council recently established a Data Analytics Advisory Committee to make recommendations to the council on judicial branch data and information strategy. The workgroup will analyze and share data to better inform judicial branch decision making and enhance public access to court data and information.