https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/2023-year-review-judicial-council-california 2023 Year in Review: Judicial Council of CaliforniaCorren, Blaine Tue, 12/12/2023 - 15:40 Feature California’s new Chief Justice, the Judicial Council, and the courts continued to identify, refine, and enhance court operations and services to improve access to the justice system. The following are highlights of those efforts: New Chief Justice Prioritizes Access, Diversity, and Public ServiceChief Justice Patricia Guerrero was sworn into office on January 2, 2023, making history as the first Latina to serve as California’s Chief Justice. In her first State of the Judiciary address, and throughout her first year in office, Chief Justice Guerrero acknowledged her family’s sacrifices, the importance of her heritage, and her commitment to a more diverse and inclusive judicial branch. The Chief Justice also placed a high priority on accountability, public service, and providing high-quality services to court users. To meet these goals, she’s advocated for stable and reliable funding, additional judgeships for under-resourced courts, and increasing the ability of court users to conduct business online through remote technology and procedures employed during the pandemic. Sister Branches’ Continued Support for Judicial BranchThe fiscal year 2023-24 state budget included no cuts to court operational funding, which Chief Justice Guerrero called “a continued commitment by Governor Newsom and the Legislature to support the judicial branch with a sustainable budget, which is a cornerstone of our ability to provide access to justice for all Californians.” Funding for key priorities of the judicial branch included: An inflationary adjustment to account for increases in operational costs that helps keep courthouses open and accessible to the public   Implementation of new laws related to language access, racial justice, pretrial programs, firearm relinquishment, user-friendly court forms, and the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act   Courthouse construction and maintenance, including two new projects in Nevada and Santa Clara counties, and additional funding for previously approved projects in Monterey and San Bernardino counties   Backfill for declining revenues from civil fees and criminal fines and penalties   New Judgeships Authorized to Help Serve PublicBased on the Judicial Council’s 2022 Judicial Needs Assessment, 17 counties require additional judgeships, for a total of 98 new judicial positions in the state. In some counties, this judicial need is expected to widen due to continued, dramatic population growth. In response, the state Legislature passed and the Governor signed SB 75 in October, authorizing 26 new superior court judgeships subject to an appropriation by the Legislature. Making the Jury System Better for JurorsRecognizing the importance of the right to a trial by jury, following are recent initiatives to improve jury service in California: Legislation enabling jurors to get reimbursed for mileage expenses both to and from court—also authorizes courts to partner with local public transit to provide low-cost or no-cost roundtrip transportation (see Los Angeles court’s partnership)   Upcoming pilot program in seven superior courts to study the impact of increasing juror compensation on participation and representation among juries (see AB 1981)   E-payment pilot project in Stanislaus County to pay jurors faster and more conveniently, without the need for paper checks   Expanded access to online jury portals, where individuals can check dates of service, sign up for reminders, and request postponements and excusals (see example of jury portal)   Increased diversity of jury pools by using three source lists—Department of Motor Vehicles, local Registrar of Voters, and Franchise Tax Board—to summon people for jury service   Produced in collaboration with the California Judges Association, a newly adapted video on understanding the challenges of implicit bias that serves as a guide and a tool for jurors to identify whether they may have a preconception that would impact their ability to serve Remote Proceedings and Services Stay Popular With Court UsersThe Judicial Council in November received the final report from the Ad Hoc Workgroup on Post-Pandemic Initiatives that included recommendations to continue practices adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic that increased access to justice for court users and the public. The workgroup identified successful remote practices and received input from court users, judicial officers, court staff, legal aid representatives, and criminal and civil attorneys. The report highlighted the workgroup’s efforts and recommendations outlined in its interim reports, which included: Expansion of remote access on a permanent basis for most proceedings   Consideration of conducting juror questionnaires, hardship forms, and selection online   Recommendations on case and proceeding types to conduct remotely, protocols for ensuring court users fully understand their options, and statewide guidelines to ensure court users receive the best possible levels of service and access The council continues to work with the Legislature to maintain remote options for court users, ultimately negotiating an extension of authority for courts to hold proceedings remotely in criminal cases through Jan. 1, 2025—and in general civil, civil commitment, and juvenile justice proceedings through Jan. 1, 2026. Helping Drivers Struggling with Traffic FeesThe MyCitations ability-to-pay program is an online tool where people can look up their traffic citation, answer questions about their income level, and submit a request to the court for a fee reduction. Users can also request a payment plan, more time to pay, or community service. Launched in 2019 in just a few courts, 38 superior courts now offer the MyCitations tool—the remaining 20 courts are scheduled to adopt it by June 30, 2024. Statewide as of December 1, 2023: Number of users/requesters: 86,851   Number of requests: 122,027   Total original amount due on all requests: $68,863,445   Total amount forgiven by courts: $45,180,608   Positive Impact of Pretrial ProgramsPretrial programs aim to increase the safe and efficient release of arrestees before trial, using the least restrictive monitoring practices possible while still protecting public safety and ensuring court appearances. A study released this year of California’s pretrial pilot program tracked more than 422,000 defendants awaiting trial in 17 superior courts. The study showed: Pretrial programs increased the release of people facing misdemeanors by 5.7% and by 8.8% for those arrested for felonies   Pretrial programs decreased the likelihood of rearrest for people awaiting trial by 5.8% for those booked on misdemeanors and by 2.4% for those booked on felonies While the pilot programs increased pretrial releases across the board, positive effects were especially large for certain people of color. Before program implementation, Black and Hispanic defendants booked on misdemeanors were 1.2% less likely to be released pretrial compared to White defendants booked on similar charges. After program implementation, Black defendants were 3% more likely to be released compared to White defendants, while Hispanic defendants had no significant difference in pretrial release rates compared to White defendants booked on similar charges. The state budget now provides ongoing funding to implement pretrial release programs statewide. Courts Making Data-Informed DecisionsA statewide data analytics summit convened more than 200 court professionals from 42 courts to share best practices for using data to support changes to their processes, which not only improved their internal operations, but improved the experience for court users. Courts sharing their data-informed strategies included: Los Angeles: the court designated specific courtrooms to hear domestic violence restraining orders to better streamline its family court calendars   Monterey: the court changed when it heard certain case types to help ensure interpreters are available   Santa Barbara: the court became more efficient in how many people it calls for jury duty each day   Courts Help Implement CARE ActEnacted this year, the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act authorizes specific adult persons to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan, which includes treatment, housing support, and other services for persons with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Per the legislation, seven counties (Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Stanislaus, Tuolumne) started CARE Act implementation Oct. 1. Los Angeles County implemented the act on Dec. 1, and the remaining 50 counties must implement it by Dec. 1, 2024. The Judicial Council helped courts prepare to put the legislation into practice by approving new court rules and forms and creating fact sheets, webinars, and videos to educate courts and the public about the CARE Act process. El Centro Courthouse Courthouse Construction Projects Improve Safety, ServiceThe state budget this year included funding to build critically needed new courthouses that will improve court operations and services to the public, including two new projects in Nevada and Santa Clara counties, and additional funding for previously approved projects in Monterey and San Bernardino counties. Overall, 19 projects are in various stages, ranging from site acquisition to design to construction. This year, the branch completed a new courthouse in El Centro and a renovation in Willows. Since assuming responsibility for court construction in 2002, the council has completed 34 new courthouses. Courts Prepare for Rise in Climate and Water Law CasesAs our climate continues to change, legal and policy experts expect a corresponding increase in the number of climate and water-related lawsuits and other regulatory issues coming before the courts. This year, a group of California judicial officers and court staff attorneys came together for the Judicial Council’s first Environmental Summit, where attendees heard the current science on climate change, the potential impacts on the public, and the expected lawsuits and disagreements courts will help to resolve. The council also expanded training for courts on climate change and water law, including in-person courses, videos, podcasts, and publications on environmental law topics. Judicial Branch Celebrates First Juneteenth State HolidayOn June 19, the judicial branch joined Californians in celebrating Juneteenth as a state holiday for the first time. The Judicial Council supported the bill, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Said California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero: “This year, our judicial branch honors this monumental day in our history, reminding us of the long struggle to freedom for Black Americans. To honor that struggle and our commitment to equal treatment under the law, we reaffirm access, fairness, diversity, and inclusion as foundational goals for our court system. We celebrate California’s diversity as a strength and our progress toward a court system that is more diverse and reflective of the communities we serve.” Judges in the Classroom Helping to Revive Civics EducationAs part of the Chief Justice’s Civic Learning Initiative, the Judges in the Classroom program continues to match judges with schools for in-person or remote visits with students. The visits help students understand the legal system, promote civic engagement, and highlight careers in the law. Statewide, the Judges in the Classroom program now has 213 volunteer judges from 32 counties. The superior courts in San Diego and Santa Clara counties collectively received more than 140 requests from teachers seeking in-person visits for Constitution Month in September. And in Orange County, of the 14 classrooms lined up to receive visits during Constitution Month, nearly all of them reported the lesson was the first time their students learned about the three branches of government. Judicial Branch Honors Individuals for Outstanding ServiceThe Judicial Council honored two recipients with its 2023 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes people and organizations for their extraordinary leadership and contributions to the administration of justice in California. This year’s recipients—Presiding Justice Lee Smalley Edmon and Justice Marsha Slough (Ret.)—were honored for their work related to improving judicial diversity, leading courts through the COVID-19 pandemic, driving court-based innovations to better serve the public, and helping to shape a stable funding system for the state’s judicial branch. In addition, Judge Mark Juhas received the 2023 Aranda Access to Justice Award, which honors a judge’s commitment to improving and promoting fairness and access to the courts, especially for low- and moderate-income Californians. The California Lawyers Association presents the award in partnership with the Judicial Council and California Judges Association, and in association with the California Commission on Access to Justice. Watch these videos to learn about this year's award recipients New Judicial Council Administrative Director In September, the council unanimously voted to select Shelley Curran as the Judicial Council’s next Administrative Director. Curran will assume the role Jan. 1, following the retirement of Acting Administrative Director Millicent Tidwell. Curran is the first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold the permanent leadership role at the council. Curran, the council’s chief policy and research officer, has served the council since 2009. During that time, she has been a key player in advancing major policy issues for the judicial branch that include remote court proceedings, pretrial detention, evidence-based practices in sentencing, recidivism reduction, ability-to-pay determinations for fines and fees, and the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act. ____________________________________________________________________ Stay connected in 2023 by subscribing to the California Courts Newsroom and Twitter/X feed. (See bottom of this page for links) https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/pretrial-programs-released-more-defendants-trial-decreased-rearrest-rates Pretrial Programs Released More Defendants Before Trial, Decreased Rearrest RatesSoltysik, Penne Fri, 07/21/2023 - 13:17 News Release SAN FRANCISCO—The Judicial Council at its July 21 business meeting received the final report on California’s pretrial pilot program showing its overall positive effect on courts, defendants, and the public. Those positive outcomes included more defendants released pretrial with less rearrests. A study of the program tracked more than 422,000 defendants awaiting trial in 17 superior courts. The study showed: Pretrial programs increased the release of people facing misdemeanors by 5.7% and by 8.8% for those arrested for felonies   Pretrial programs decreased the likelihood of rearrest for people awaiting trial by 5.8% for people booked on misdemeanors and by 2.4% for those booked on felonies Pretrial programs can also decrease the time defendants spend in jail awaiting release. For example, defendants in Sonoma County's pretrial program spent an average of 14 hours in jail before release compared to 71 hours for defendants released through cash bail. “That first entrance into the criminal court system is one of the most critical steps in the process,” said Justice Marsha Slough, who helped present the pretrial report to the council. “We as judges owe it to those who come before us to look at them, look at their situation, and not look at a cold bail schedule to determine how they will be addressed.” More photos from today's Judicial Council meeting   The pretrial study was an unprecedented collaboration among the courts, probation, and sheriff departments, with each entity collecting and providing data for the final report, supplemented by data from the state Department of Justice. Goals of Pretrial Release Pilot ProgramThe fiscal year 2019-20 state budget earmarked $75 million for the council to launch and evaluate pretrial projects in 17 superior courts. Their goals: to “increase the safe and efficient release of arrestees before trial, use the least restrictive monitoring practices possible while protecting public safety and ensuring court appearances, validate and expand the use of risk assessment tools, and assess any bias in the process.” In addition to using risk assessment tools, the pilot courts also provided a variety of support services to defendants in the pretrial programs, including transportation vouchers​, lodging assistance, and mental health services. In fiscal year 2021-22, the state budget added ongoing funding to implement pretrial release programs statewide. The Judicial Council and local jurisdictions have held educational sessions on how to implement pretrial programs for stakeholders, including judicial officers, probation personnel, court staff, justice partners, and the public. Failure to Appear Rates Improved with Reminder SystemsIn addition to lower rearrest rates, the pretrial study found a 6.8% decrease in the number of defendants who failed to appear (FTA) for court-ordered appearances in misdemeanor cases; however, it identified a 2.5% increase in failure-to-appear rates in felony cases. Image But failure to appear rates can greatly improve with a court date reminder system, which included both manual and automated phone calls and text messages. A separate study by the court in Alameda County showed its reminder system improved court appearance rates from 47% to 87%. By the end of the three-year pilot program, 14 courts had implemented reminder systems, and now most trial courts in the state also have reminder systems. The study also notes that as courts decrease the time it takes for cases to resolve post-COVID-19, failure to appear rates may also decrease. First Large-Scale Evidence of Risk Assessment Tool Accuracy in California The 17 pilot courts were required to use a pretrial risk assessment tool to inform decisions by judicial officers about pretrial release. Pretrial risk assessment tools use data to assess the likelihood an arrested person will fail to appear in court or will commit a new offense during the pretrial period. In a separate report, the pretrial risk assessment tools used by the pilots were rigorously studied and found to accurately estimate a defendant’s risk.   Image Pretrial Programs Mitigated Release Disparities in Misdemeanor CasesWhile implementation of the statewide pretrial program increased pretrial releases among all populations, positive effects were especially large for Black individuals. Before program implementation, Black and Hispanic defendants booked on misdemeanors were 1.2% less likely to be released pretrial compared to White defendants booked on similar charges. After program implementation, Black defendants were 3% more likely to be released compared to White defendants, while Hispanic defendants had no significant difference in pretrial release rates compared to White defendants booked on similar charges. At the conclusion of the report to the council on the pretrial study and its significance, Justice Slough offered that the study shows how the justice system should treat defendants and can help lead to “changes in the pretrial arena for our state.” Watch Council Recognizes Justice Slough for Extraordinary ServiceCouncil members honored the service of Justice Marsha Slough, who will retire Aug. 31, after two decades of service as a judicial officer and nearly a decade as a Judicial Council member and leading voice on key judicial branch initiatives. Among the speakers were Judge Kyle Brodie, who told Justice Slough he admired “your work, your vision, your ability to bring people together, to keep us honest, to keep us focused on the oath that we all took, the goal of serving the public… if you can leave the world a little better than you found it, then that counts as a success. I cannot count the ways that you have made us all better…you have been such an example in just what it means to be a good judge and a good person.” Other Items on Council Meeting Agenda:Judicial Branch Technology Funding: The council approved the allocation of state funding to trial and appellate courts to encourage innovation, collaboration, and expanding the use of technology. Those technology goals include improved case management systems, remote services, and cybersecurity. Watch Tactical Plan for Technology: The council approved an update to the tactical plan that describes the judicial branch’s efforts to further enhance technology in the courts, improve services, and meet the needs of court users and the public. Those efforts include expanding online services, electronic evidence management, and language access technology. Watch Trial Court Funding: The council agreed to allocate funding provided in the fiscal year 2023-24 state budget for trial court operations, employee benefits, pretrial programs, and implementation of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act. Watch Budget Change Proposals: The council voted to submit 10 budget change proposals to the California Department of Finance for consideration in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget. The proposals ask for increased funding for the branch’s highest priorities, including new judgeships, self-help services, courthouse maintenance, and the court-appointed counsel program. Watch Courthouse Naming Policy: The council adopted a revision to its naming policy for newly constructed, renovated, and existing courthouses to provide consistency when naming them after location and case type or a person. Watch Legal Assistance Grants for Civil Cases: The council approved grants to qualified legal services providers and court partners to provide legal representation and improved court services to low-income parties—regardless of their citizenship or immigration status—in civil matters involving housing-related matters, domestic violence and civil harassment restraining orders, probate conservatorships, guardianships, elder abuse, or actions by a parent to obtain legal or physical custody of a child. The complete council meeting agenda and council reports are posted to the California Courts Meeting Information Center. A link to a live webcast of the meeting will be on the California Courts website on the day of the meeting.   https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/study-shows-positive-impact-pretrial-programs-defendants-awaiting-trial Study Shows Positive Impact of Pretrial Programs for Defendants Awaiting TrialCorren, Blaine Mon, 07/17/2023 - 10:44 News Release SAN FRANCISCO—The Judicial Council at its July 21 business meeting will receive the final report on California’s pretrial pilot program showing its overall positive effect on courts, defendants, and the public. A study of the program tracked more than 422,000 defendants awaiting trial in 17 superior courts. The study showed: Pretrial programs increased the release of people facing misdemeanors by 5.7% and by 8.8% for those arrested for felonies   Pretrial programs decreased the likelihood of rearrest for people awaiting trial by 5.8% for those booked on misdemeanors and by 2.4% for those booked on felonies The study was an unprecedented collaboration among the courts, probation, and sheriff departments, with each entity collecting and providing data for the final report, supplemented by data from the state Department of Justice. Goals of Pretrial Release Pilot ProgramThe fiscal year 2019-20 state budget earmarked $75 million for the council to launch and evaluate three-year pretrial projects in 17 superior courts. Their goals: to “increase the safe and efficient release of arrestees before trial, use the least restrictive monitoring practices possible while protecting public safety and ensuring court appearances, validate and expand the use of risk assessment tools, and assess any bias in the process.” Subsequent to the funding for the three-year study, the fiscal year 2021-22 state budget provided ongoing funding to implement pretrial release programs statewide. Failure to Appear Rates Improved with Reminder SystemsIn addition to lower rearrest rates, the pretrial study found a 6.8% decrease in the number of defendants who failed to appear for court-ordered appearances in misdemeanor cases; however, it identified a 2.5% increase in failure-to-appear rates in felony cases. But failure to appear rates can greatly improve with a court date reminder system, which included both manual and automated phone calls and text messages. A separate study by the court in Alameda County showed its reminder system improved court appearance rates from 47% to 87%. By the end of the three-year pilot program, 14 courts had implemented reminder systems, and now most trial courts in the state also have reminder systems. The study also notes that as courts decrease the time it takes for cases to resolve post-COVID-19, failure to appear rates may also decrease. First Large-Scale Evidence of Risk Assessment Tool Accuracy in California The 17 pilot courts were required to use a pretrial risk assessment tool to inform judicial officer pretrial release decisions. Pretrial risk assessment tools use data to assess the likelihood an arrested person will fail to appear in court or will commit a new offense during the pretrial period. In a separate report, the pretrial risk assessment tools used by the pilots were rigorously studied and found to do a good job estimating a defendant’s risk. Pretrial Programs Mitigated Release Disparities in Misdemeanor CasesWhile implementation of the statewide pretrial program increased pretrial releases across the board, positive effects were especially large for Black individuals. Before program implementation, Black and Hispanic defendants booked on misdemeanors were 1.2% less likely to be released pretrial compared to White defendants booked on similar charges. After program implementation, Black defendants were 3% more likely to be released compared to White defendants, while Hispanic defendants had no significant difference in pretrial release rates compared to White defendants booked on similar charges. Other Items on Council Meeting Agenda:Trial Court Funding: The council will consider allocating funding provided in the fiscal year 2023-24 state budget for trial court operations, employee benefits, pretrial programs, and implementation of the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act. Budget Change Proposals: The council will consider submitting 10 budget change proposals to the California Department of Finance for consideration in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, which include increased funding for new judgeships, self-help services, and courthouse maintenance. Judicial Branch Technology Funding: The council will consider allocating state funding to trial and appellate courts to help them expand their use of technology. Tactical Plan for Technology: The council will consider an update to the tactical plan that describes the judicial branch’s efforts to further enhance technology in the courts and improve services for the public. Courthouse Naming Policy: The council will consider adopting a revision to its naming policy for newly constructed, renovated, and existing courthouses to provide consistency when naming them after location and case type or a person. Legal Assistance Grants for Civil Cases: The council will consider grants to qualified legal services providers and court partners to provide legal representation and improved court services to low-income parties—regardless of their citizenship or immigration status—in civil matters involving housing-related matters, domestic violence and civil harassment restraining orders, probate conservatorships, guardianships, elder abuse, or actions by a parent to obtain legal or physical custody of a child. The complete council meeting agenda and council reports are posted to the California Courts Meeting Information Center. A link to a live webcast of the meeting will be on the California Courts website on the day of the meeting. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/2021-year-review-judicial-council-california 2021 Year in Review: Judicial Council of CaliforniaCorren, Blaine Mon, 12/20/2021 - 10:31 Feature In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to challenge the state’s ability to ensure access to justice for the citizens of California. But like the previous year, California’s Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and the Judicial Council supported the courts as they remained flexible and innovative to ensure the justice system was open and vital services remained accessible to the public. Remote Proceedings Increased Access During Pandemic A report from the Chief Justice’s pandemic workgroup found strong support for offering remote access on a permanent basis for most court proceedings, rather than defaulting to pre-pandemic levels of in-person operations. The report found remote proceedings often improved the court experience for testifying victims, expert witnesses, and family law litigants, as well as increased efficiency for arraignments, pretrial conferences, and progress report hearings. The report further showed remote hearings increased efficiency: In areas where courts relied almost exclusively on remote video hearings—most notably juvenile delinquency and dependency cases—clearance rates climbed as high as 130%, enabling courts to handle not just current juvenile cases but also clear previous backlogs    Remote hearings helped boost the resolution of child support cases by 10%   In criminal and other case types, where remote hearings were used far less often, clearance rates decreased by about 20% Resource Guide on Remote Proceedings The council’s workgroup on post-pandemic initiatives introduced a new resource guide for judicial officers conducting proceedings by videoconference. The guide highlights practical issues to consider, such as technical equipment, file/screen sharing, language interpretation, online security, handling disruptive behavior, and public access to the proceedings. (View presentation) Addressing Criminal Case Backlog Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye launched a program to fast track the resolution of criminal cases to help ease significant backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Retired judges from the Chief Justice’s Temporary Assigned Judges Program can help courts by conducting readiness conferences or cover matters for their local judges assigned to these conferences. Image More than 25,000 requests for fine and fee reduction were processed through the new MyCitations tool from April 2019-June 2021. Additional counties will offer the MyCitations tool in 2022. Court Innovations Improved Services for Public The council’s Court Innovations Grants Program continued to fund 51 projects across 30 courts statewide, which helped the judicial branch expand remote services and address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on court users. Those programs led to a new statewide self-help litigant portal, creating answers to common questions for online chat bots on court websites, and expanding the use of electronic court records and e-filing. In addition, investments in technology helped the Judicial Council develop the online MyCitations tool for infraction cases, currently available in seven superior courts around the state. The tool allows litigants with financial hardship to submit online a fine and fee reduction request. From April 2019–June 2021, more than 25,000 requests were submitted, from about 16,000 litigants. More than 80% of the requests were approved, resulting in more than $9.5 million in reduced fines and fees. Providing Language Assistance and Resources Californians speak more than 200 languages, about 44% of households speak a language other than English, and nearly 7 million people report speaking English “less than very well.” The council cohosted a series of free public webinars to help connect limited English speakers with court language services and multilingual materials (view on YouTube). Court leadership and staff, local/county/ethnic bar associations, legal services organizations, law libraries, and other language access stakeholders learned how they can provide these materials directly to their communities through websites, social media channels, and hard-copy distribution at resource centers. The council also ran print and public service announcements on how to access court interpreter services in 15 multi-ethnic print publications and 16 multilingual radio stations throughout the state.  Courts Expanding Pretrial Services The judicial branch budget expanded funding for pretrial pilot programs that started in 16 courts to increase the safe and efficient release of people arrested before trial. The funding also helped additional courts develop their own pretrial programs. The programs promote the least restrictive release conditions while still addressing public safety and ensuring court appearances, use appropriate monitoring practices, and provide services for those released. New Courthouse Construction The new Sonora courthouse in Tuolumne County opened in August. The state budget also included $2.1 billion over five years to fund construction of critically needed new courthouses, including 14 replacement and renovation projects on a priority list approved by the council. Since assuming responsibility for court construction in 2002, the council has completed 31 new courthouse projects. This year, the judicial branch opened new courthouses in Sonora and Yreka; broke ground in Indio, Menifee, Modesto, and Sonoma; and expects to open new courthouses next year in El Centro, Redding, and Willows.   Workgroup on Homelessness Offers Recommendations In its final report to the council, the Chief Justice’s Work Group on Homelessness recommended ways the judicial branch could increase access and assistance for court users experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, such as: Improving the process for litigants involved in eviction cases by increasing remote access, expanding self-help resources, and creating more user-friendly court forms with information sheets and checklists   Providing attorneys in residential eviction cases for litigants who can’t afford them and starting and/or expanding court settlement efforts in those cases   Expanding the number of special homeless court programs, which can reduce barriers to housing stability by clearing defendants’ fines, fees, warrants, and outstanding cases after treatment and rehabilitation (18 California counties have some form of homeless court program) Preventing Bias in Court Interactions The council approved recommendations from the Chief Justice’s Work Group to Enhance Administrative Standards Addressing Bias in Court Proceedings. In addition to encouraging bias reporting and education, the updated standards broaden the list of classifications protected, and define the optimal makeup and roles of local or regional committees working to prevent bias in court interactions by court staff or judicial officers. “I see this effort as another tangible example of how the Chief Justice has tasked this council to not only improve access to justice, but to be transparent, accountable and more inclusive of the myriad of court users that enter courthouse doors up and down the state,” said Judge Stacy Boulware Eurie, co-chair of the work group. Statewide Effort to Increase Judicial Diversity For 15 years in a row, California’s judicial bench has grown more diverse, according to Judicial Council data. But even with this encouraging trend, nearly two-thirds of the state’s justices and judges are men and 65% are white. Gov. Gavin Newsom in July announced the California Judicial Mentor Program as a statewide undertaking between the executive and judicial branches to advance the shared goal of an inclusive judiciary that reflects California’s diversity. That program includes an appellate court program in the First Appellate District, as well as a trial court mentor program that launched in Los Angeles in October and has expanded to much of the state. A key tool in developing the mentoring programs, the council’s Judicial Diversity Toolkit encourages courts to reach out to underrepresented groups, including individuals with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, and sexual orientations. Judges in the ClassroomAs part of the Chief Justice’s Civic Learning Initiative, the Judges in the Classroom program continues to match judges with schools for in-person or remote visits with students. The visits help students understand the third branch of government and the rule of law, develop critical thinking and communication skills, and build trust and confidence in the courts that hopefully results in future willingness to participate in government as jurors, voters, and community leaders.  Cross-County Judges in the Classroom Virtual Visits: Commissioner Rebeca Esquivel-Pedroza visits a classroom in San Diego from her chambers in Santa Clara County to talk about civil rights leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.  During the 2020-2021 academic year, 180 bench officers signed up for Judges in the Classroom, connecting with 181 (virtual) classrooms in 11 counties. In the first five months of the current school year, schools have submitted nearly 200 requests.  Stay connected in 2022 by subscribing to the California Courts Newsroom and Twitter feed. (See bottom of this page for links) https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/document/pretrial-pilot-program-highlights Pretrial Pilot Program HighlightsBueno, Ivan Wed, 09/09/2020 - 10:09 Pretrial Pilot Program Highlights Tags Pretrial Topics Superior Courts