https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/justice-kelli-evans-and-justice-stacy-boulware-eurie-share-perspectives-diversity-courts Justice Kelli Evans and Justice Stacy Boulware Eurie Share Perspectives on Diversity in the CourtsKaren.Datangel Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:58 Feature Justice Kelli Evans and Justice Stacy Boulware Eurie began their journeys in law as students at UC Davis at similar times, but neither expected their rise to the bench in California's appellate courts, as they first recounted in a conversation with each other during the Black History Month 2026 Closing Ceremony at the Judicial Council on Feb. 25. "As an attorney, I hoped and thought that one day I would eventually like to become a judge, so when I got appointed to the Alameda County court trial bench, I thought I had made it...and I would have happily retired there," said Justice Evans, associate justice of the California Supreme Court. "It was a surprise when I got the call from the governor saying he wanted to elevate me to the California Supreme Court." "While in law school, I dreamt of being a trial judge and when I was appointed in 2007 [to the Sacramento Superior Court], it was literally a dream come true," said Justice Stacy Boulware Eurie, associate justice of the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District. "There's no way I could have anticipated or predicted the current seat I hold." The two justices shared the stage to discuss insights on diversity and inclusion in the courts, access to justice, the roles of judicial officers and court staff, and other topics. Following are highlights from their conversation. On the role of jurists in honoring diversity and inclusion Justice Evans: When I think about inclusion in particular, I think what it means is making sure people feel seen and are seen, feel heard and are heard, have a shot at opportunities, and in the court system, that they feel like it really works for them. Individual judges can do things in their courtrooms that embody these values. From the bench, you can treat all litigants with respect, make sure that you're implementing procedural justice in your courtroom. You can make sure you're using inclusive and accessible language. You can make sure you're explaining your decisions clearly, particularly to the person on the losing side of the decision. You can do things at a leadership level, like advocate for policies that help promote diversity and inclusion. Another thing judges and individuals can do is community outreach and engagement. The more that our communities understand about the justice business, the better it is for our court system and the more likely we are to have diverse and inclusive court systems. If we help everyone to understand they have a stake in it, they have an opportunity to participate in a system that can and should work for everyone. Justice Boulware Eurie: We're all familiar with systemic opportunities and/or barriers for diversity and inclusion, but I also think there's an individual level of opportunity and obligation to see who's at that proverbial table. No entity or structure is perfect but I do think our branch in particular is a mirror to society. The folks that come in through courthouse doors, those folks who support the work of the trial courts, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court reflect and should reflect California's citizenry. On the importance of diversity of perspectives and experiences in courts Justice Evans: In the California Supreme Court, we have seven justices who are responsible for making decisions that impact all 40 million of us in California. When you have people at that table who have diverse experiences like people who have been defense attorneys, have represented civil rights litigants, worked with law enforcement their whole lives, been subjects of racial profiling, have family members who have been incarcerated, or have been career prosecutors, that's a very rich discussion and it brings voices to the table that have long been missing. When I talk about diversity, I'm not just talking about race, gender, or sexual orientation - I'm talking about life experience, geography, practice areas, income, all sorts of things. I think it's important in the trial courts if not more important at the appellate court levels. The more people with nuanced perspectives who are part of a conversation, we'll have fewer blind spot errors, and we'll have a better understanding of potential impacts on various communities. Justice Boulware Eurie: When we talk about an impartial court and fair and balanced justice, I think some of that comes from diversity of thought, not just traditional values or experiences. Are there voices that are ensuring a check on the system and as drivers of procedural justice, that it's not just one voice being heard? Is there space for different perspectives and values on how the law is interpreted? I think it looks different in a Court of Appeal or Supreme Court because it's not a single individual judge making all the decisions in a courtroom. In the trial court, those different [perspectives can come from] roles of the prosecutor or public defender, or parents' counsel, minor's counsel, and county counsel. I'm pretty proud of California's courts because I think our branch is embracing the opportunities we're talking about. I thought about language and diversity of perspectives. In juvenile court, when we're dealing with children who are removed from their homes - particularly Black families and communities - we may hear "Hey, that's my cousin." You might later figure out "That's my play cousin" and having a bench officer who understands community relationships and ties that exist beyond blood helps to inform the decision-making in about what's in the best interest of the child. This is just one example of a type of diversity of experience and the opportunity for more informed decision making when you are hearing from and learning about different experiences. On court staff Justice Evans: Our clerks are procedural guardians. Our research attorneys carry an enormously important load as first line filters for the judges and justices for what's coming in and they often go through incredibly voluminous records. There are other court staff like interpreters, reporters, and self-help attorneys. There are court administrators who are doing work that make our courts accessible to the public. Our librarians are facilitating all of our access to material that we need to do our jobs. We've got court security personnel that are protecting our litigants and jurors. Sometimes this work is done under immense time pressure and public scrutiny. We're in a system full of unsung heroes. People know about judges, but people also need to know about the essential roles in our justice system that make it possible to seek and obtain justice. I also know that the more people learn about these roles - young people in particular - the more they're interested in our work. Young people may not be interested in becoming a lawyer or a judge, but would be really interested in one of these other roles. So the more we can share that information, the better. Justice Boulware Eurie: The one role I want to highlight is IT (Information Technology). In the Sacramento Superior Court in the period during COVID, we were spreading jurors out in different courtrooms and utilizing Zoom for them to hear and participate in selection. We had one particular IT member who was running from courtroom to courtroom, standing in the back -- not just to make sure the Zoom and speakers were working, but to make sure we could all be heard clearly. He was trying to stand in the shoes of the user, hearing what was happening in that courtroom or a different courtroom so there was meaningful participation. We know remote access is something the branch is very committed to and is super important. Advice for law students and aspiring lawyers Justice Boulware Eurie: Keep an open mind. I think a lot of people attend law school and go in with this vision of what it is that they want to do and just like undergrad, it's an opportunity for exploration. There will be an opportunity to learn so many substantive areas that you may not have been familiar with. As it relates to this conversation [around diversity and inclusion], I think of the growing importance of environmental law and looking at the demographics of law schools and who participates in those programs -- often I don't see people of color. Look not only where you can participate, but who can you bring along? What other spaces, clinicals, programs, and internships might you and your peers participate in? Is it always the same folks raising their hands? Is there a way you can nudge a colleague or peer to join you in a lunchtime conversation with a professor on a topic that you might otherwise think is dry as sand? Challenge yourself by learning something new in terms of perspective, life background, and the law. Justice Evans: Do what interests you. It might not be what everyone else is doing. Find people that you think are doing things that are interesting and exciting, and reach out to them and learn more. Try lots of different things and stay flexible. There's lot of different ways to be happy in any career but especially as a lawyer. Watch Justice Evans and Justice Boulware Eurie's full conversation. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/students-throughout-california-vying-top-prize-2024-mock-trial-finals Students Throughout California Vying for Top Prize at 2024 Mock Trial FinalsKaren.Datangel Tue, 03/19/2024 - 16:10 Feature Update - March 26, 2024: Trinity Pacific Christian School in Ventura County has won the 2024 California Mock Trial Competition and will compete in the National High School Mock Trial Competition in May. See the full awards recipient list. Thousands of young people put on their best suits this spring in hopes of taking home the title—not of best dressed, but of best advocate. After weeks of competition in the courtroom, those thousands of well-dressed young people have been narrowed down as students from 31 California counties gear up for this year's finals of the California Mock Trial Competition, which takes place in Los Angeles from March 22-24. Participants will argue the fictitious homicide case People v. Clark. The defendant Tobie Clark, who works as in-house counsel at a billion-dollar medical technology company, has been charged with the homicide of the company's chief executive officer. The prosecution argues that Clark should be convicted of first-degree murder, and the pretrial issue centers on the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure. The Constitutional Rights Foundation, now known as Teach Democracy, created the California Mock Trial Program in 1980. The statewide program stemmed from a successful model in Los Angeles County and helps students acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. In addition to the mock trials themselves, counties award individual honors to students in courtroom artist and journalist contests. The winner of the statewide finals will advance to the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Wilmington, Delaware from May 2-5. Here are some highlights from county competitions: Contra Costa California High School won the competition for the seventh consecutive year, defeating Campolindo High School. In its 43rd year, the competition included 17 schools from across Contra Costa County, 44 separate trials that took place in-person at the A.F Bray Courthouse in Martinez, and more than 140 judges, local attorneys, and volunteers who presided over the proceedings, scored trials, and served as courtroom coordinators. Kern Centennial High School won for the fifth year in a row and for the ninth time in the last ten years. Local attorney Abby Auffant, who has judged the competition for many years, said “The students give me faith in our next generation – whether they are our next generation of attorneys or not." Orange University High School in Irvine won the competition over Trabuco Hills High School in Mission Viejo. Orange County has the second largest mock trial program in the state after Los Angeles County. At an awards reception next month, the Elizabeth G. Macias Academy Mock Trial team from Santa Ana High School will be awarded the Civility Award for demonstrating civility and the highest legal ethics during the competition. The team seeks to establish a pipeline of diverse students, including first-generation students, English-as-a-second-language students, and at-risk youth from high schools, community colleges, four-year institutions, and law schools so that the legal profession reflects the diverse population of California. Riverside Poly High School defeated Notre Dame High School for their 20th title in 42 years of the county competition's history. San Diego Now in its 18th year, a total of 747 San Diego County high school students participated in the event, making it the largest competition in the county to date. Students from 37 San Diego County high schools have fielded 38 teams during the competition. Santa Cruz Santa Cruz High School won the county competition after a rare tied score against co-finalist Pacific Collegiate School was broken by Santa Cruz Presiding Judge Syda Cogliati, per mock trial rules. Additionally, first-time competitors Pajaro Valley High School earned the inaugural Paul Marigonda Award, presented by the Santa Cruz Trial Lawyers Association. Honoring the late Judge Paul Marigonda, the award recognizes a team for demonstrating exceptional courage, commitment, and integrity. Tulare The silver Redwood High School team won the county competition over University Preparatory High School. Redwood had entered two teams into the competition. The finals took place at the Granite Hills High School Legal Justice Center in Porterville, a three-year-old educational facility replicating a real-life courtroom. California high schools have placed in first or second place four times in the National Mock Trial Competition since 1984. In 1989, John Marshall High School in Los Angeles County placed in second; in 1994, Arlington High School in Riverside County won the championship; in 2005, Tamalpais High School in Marin County won the championship; and in 2013, La Reina High School in Ventura County placed in second.