https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-courts-and-judicial-council-inspire-new-generation-court-leaders California Courts and Judicial Council Inspire New Generation of Court LeadersKaren.Datangel Wed, 07/02/2025 - 14:49 Feature After earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UCLA, Kristina Mooney experienced two new things after graduation: working in a state court (San Bernardino Superior Court) and living in the Inland Empire, a departure from her hometown in the San Francisco Bay Area and her college residence in Los Angeles. Up in the northern part of the state, Kolby Minckler also took on a new challenge both professionally and geographically after earning his bachelor's degree in History from the University of South Carolina: moving from his home state of South Carolina to work in the Sacramento Superior Court. Getting a Behind-the-Scenes Look into the Justice System This past June, both Mooney and Minckler completed their 10-month assignments as part of the Judicial Fellowship program, which offers real-world work experience and training from judicial leaders to inspire career pathways in California courts. “The exposure I’ve gotten here in the courts is unlike anything I could get in any sort of professional development program," said Mooney. “I’ve observed every case type and learned about collaborative courts. I think years ago, it might have scared me to get into something like criminal law because the kinds of things you see in those courtrooms can be really hard, but I think it’s important to be aware of those things and see how justice works.” “What I knew about the courts were that attorneys argue in the courtroom and there’s a judge that decides matters,” said Minckler. “But there are so many other careers for people who want to work in the courts, and I was interested in exploring this whole different side of court administration and how a court actually runs outside of the courtroom.” California Program Provides Preview of Careers in the Judicial Branch Running from September to June each year, the full-time paid judicial fellowship is co-administered by the Judicial Council and Sacramento State University’s Center for California Studies, which also offers fellowships in the state’s executive and legislative branches as part of the Capital Fellows program. Judicial Fellows work in superior courts and Judicial Council offices across California on initiatives related to court programs, public policy, legislative analysis, language access, and community outreach. Each fellow is mentored by court executive officers and senior court and council staff. Judicial Fellows participate in monthly graduate-level field and academic seminars. The rigorous academic seminar follows the structure and function of high-level graduate coursework. Upon successful completion of the fellowship, fellows earn six units of graduate credit in Public Policy and Administration and a graduate certificate in Applied Policy and Government. “I actually wrote my spring term paper on homeless court, which we call shelter court here in San Bernardino County,” added Mooney. “That program was one of the most beautiful and impactful things I’ve had the honor to see. I didn’t know before this fellowship how courts and access to justice can uplift people. In collaborative courts, and specifically shelter court, I feel like I’m watching the judge literally change people’s lives.” Minckler also focused on collaborative courts during his fellowship, helping to prep and attend felony Mental Health Treatment Court calendars. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to navigate the criminal justice system in a way that may be much more beneficial to [felony participants] than jail time,” he said. "But I also have come to see that it’s really up to the participants to make the most out of the resources that we offer. I’ve seen people turn their lives around, and they are completely different people by the end of these programs.” Judicial Fellows Placed at Locations Around the State For the 2024-2025 school year, seven fellows worked at courts in the counties of Alameda, Butte, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, and San Mateo. Instead of actual court assignments, three fellows worked at the Judicial Council, gaining experience in statewide policy issues related to criminal justice, pretrial programs, governmental affairs, and court statistics and data. Check back in September 2025 for the 2026-2027 fellows application. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/councils-tribal-court-state-court-forum-celebrates-15th-anniversary Council's Tribal Court-State Court Forum Celebrates 15th AnniversaryKaren.Datangel Fri, 05/23/2025 - 15:50 Feature Watch video on YouTube The Tribal Court–State Court Forum marked its 15th anniversary this week, a landmark collaboration to establish California tribal and state courts as equal justice partners in serving the state that's home to the most Native American people in the nation. The group began as a meeting of tribal court and state court judges statewide who gathered to study and provide recommendations on issues such as enforcing protective orders and judgments; jurisdictional issues; and how to ensure access to justice in tribal areas involving issues like domestic violence and sexual assault. The coalition provided a forum for members to share information, resources, and education. "For tribes across the state of California, it gave us the opportunity to come together and use our voices as one," said Chief Judge Richard C. Blake of the Hoopa Valley Tribal Court and Redding Rancheria Tribal Court. "It spoke volumes to the commitment of the state of California on their willingness to work with tribes in developing this type of agreement." The California Tribal Court/State Court Coalition Becomes the Tribal Court-State Court ForumIn 2013, the Judicial Council of California made the Tribal Court-State Court Forum a formal advisory committee. In doing so, the Judicial Council acknowledged tribal sovereignty and recognized tribes as distinct, independent political nations with authority to establish their own form of government, including tribal justice systems. Today, the forum makes recommendations to the council for improving the administration of justice where jurisdiction by the state judicial branch and the tribal justice systems overlap. "I’m thankful to those who spearheaded the creation of the forum. Its work and dedicated members over the last 15 years have helped the judicial branch be more effective and culturally responsive to our tribal communities," said Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero. "This collaboration shows how we can work together to make our court system better for everyone." Forum Members Reflect on Importance of Ongoing Partnership Between Tribal and State Courts and EntitiesThe advisory committee is currently comprised of 30-plus members, including tribal court judicial officers, state court judicial officers, court representatives in areas with tribal courts, and directors and advisors from state government entities.  "It's a massive task to construct a system like this and make it responsive to all the issues of the day, and to deal with the people who appear in front of you, the law, and with each other," said committee co-chair Judge Abby Abinanti, Chief Judge of the Yurok Tribal Court. "People who aren't from similar backgrounds bring different things, and it's very surprising to see how you try to blend all of this into one mechanism." "We're really lucky in Humboldt County and maybe in other places too that tribes are willing to share their culture with us, which is beautiful in how they resolve disputes, what they did, and what they expect from others," said co-chair Judge Joyce Hinrichs (Ret.), who served in the Humboldt Superior Court. "There's a lot to learn that would benefit our state court systems as well as partnering in ways that would benefit tribal members to be the best and most qualified people they can be, contributing to their tribe, culture, and greater community." Judge Kristina Lindquist of the Sacramento Superior Court has served on the forum for almost four years, since she took on dependency assignments including those involving the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). "I hope that the forum continues to expand so that more people have the opportunity to be exposed to these issues [in the tribes and courts] and remember that they exist," she said. "It's nice to be able to share these relationships in solving issues that are confronting state and tribal courts equally and work on serving the public in an effective way." Since that first meeting he requested from Chief Justice Ronald George, Judge Blake still serves as a member of the Tribal Court-State Court Forum and remains proud of its presence and growth. He said, "The ability to work hand-in-hand with the state of California and the state court bench has been remarkable. I think we've shown this country that if most courts and tribes in the state can do this, every state can do it." *Photos and meeting footage courtesy of Judicial Council. Photo of Judge Suzanne Kingsbury and Judge Christine Williams from Mountain Democrat / Krysten Kellum. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/california-high-school-students-compete-become-2025-state-mock-trial-championship-team California High School Students Compete to Become 2025 State Mock Trial Championship TeamKaren.Datangel Tue, 03/11/2025 - 16:51 Feature Update (Mar. 17, 2025): Trinity Pacific Christian School in Ventura County will once again represent the state of California as the winner of the statewide finals and will advance to the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Phoenix, Arizona from May 7-10. See results here. Thousands of students all over the state have donned their best suits and public speaking skills as they acted out various roles in the courtroom. Now it’s time to see who takes top honors.  After weeks of competition, students from 32 California counties gear up for this year's finals of the California Mock Trial Competition, which takes place in Los Angeles from March 14-16.  Participants will argue the fictitious kidnapping case People v. Gold. The defendant Logan Gold has been charged with the kidnapping of Taylor Alexander, who is a rival candidate to Gold’s spouse Harper Dorais in a city council race in the rural mountain town of Emerald Bend, California. Gold is the assistant campaign manager to their spouse and is also the sole hotel owner in town. The prosecution argues that Gold had political and financial motives for abducting Alexander. The defense argues that Gold was without a cell phone and GPS tracking the day Alexander was abducted, which was the day of the city council candidate debate. The pretrial issue centers on a defense motion to exclude a potentially incriminating statement made by Gold while in police custody.  Teach Democracy (formerly known as the Constitutional Rights Foundation) 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.  Check out some highlights from different county competitions in our interactive map below (If you are unable to view the map below, click here). If you wish for your county to be included, contact courtnews@jud.ca.gov with information, photos, and links. California high schools have placed in first or second place four times in the National Mock Trial Competition since 1984. Year School County Place 1989 John Marshall High School Los Angeles 2nd 1994 Arlington High School Riverside 1st 2005 Tamalpais High School Marin 1st 2013 La Reina High School Ventura 2nd https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/celebrating-lgbtq-diversity-california-courts-sacramento-county-judge-andi-mudryk Celebrating LGBTQ+ Diversity in the California Courts: Sacramento County Judge Andi MudrykKaren.Datangel Mon, 06/24/2024 - 16:22 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. Judge Andi Mudryk was appointed to the Superior Court of Sacramento County by Governor Gavin Newsom in March 2022. She is the first openly transgender person to be appointed to the bench in the United States. Prior to serving as a judge, Judge Mudryk served as chief deputy director and chief counsel at the California Department of Rehabilitation.  Following are video highlights and excerpts from a conversation with Judge Mudryk: *The text of the interview has been edited for length and clarity. On diversity on the bench: "Judges are public servants and we serve the entirety of California. California is the most diverse state in the nation, and our population includes people who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. It's incredibly important that the public see themselves in the bench. It lends to the legitimacy of the judiciary and allows judges to have knowledge of the communities that we serve. I oversee juvenile justice cases and I have transgender identifying kids who come before me. I had one 13-year-old boy who wore an undergarment necessary for his gender dysphoria. When he came into juvenile hall, the staff would not let him wear the undergarment because it was dirty and torn. I ordered them to allow him to wear his undergarment. They came back and they hadn't done it, and so I issued an order to show cause why they didn't abide by my ruling. Then they ordered many of these undergarments and provided one to the boy. I had knowledge of what gender dysphoria means and the importance of providing this clothing to this individual. I understood that the suicide rate for LGBTQ+ and particularly trans youth is exponentially higher than for the general public, so this example of assisting this young boy shows why it's important to have judges from all walks of life on the bench. [Being transgender and having a disability (brittle bone disease)] have given me perspectives about diverse people and their experiences. Most of my career was in disability rights work. Coming from a Jewish family, my father's a Holocaust survivor--his parents were murdered in the Holocaust. I am not seeing people as 'other' but understanding that everyone matters and justice matters. Because I have a disability, I'm able to understand somewhat what it's like for folks who have disabilities to come into the courtroom and navigate the process. For example, people need to hear what is said, so we have assistive listening devices in the courtrooms. We need to make sure people with mental and emotional health issues and other disabilities are able to come into court and that we allow for those accommodations." On her role models and being a role model: "One of my role models is Justice Shama Hakim Mesiwala, the first Muslim-American woman to be appointed to the California Court of Appeal. She strongly believes in a diverse judiciary and realizes many of us have been treated as 'other' and feel like we're ‘other’. I'm working to make sure those of us who are ‘other’ are included and are in positions of leadership. I didn't see anyone like me in positions of leadership growing up or throughout my career, and it's incredibly important for folks to see themselves in leaders. So I feel I have a tremendous responsibility in my role to be visible, to speak, and to be involved in the community at large so that people like me see themselves in a judge and realize they can be the judge. I'm co-chair of the LGBT Judicial Officers of California, on the board of the Women Judges Association, and involved in all of our affinity bar associations." On her career background and path: "I've experienced some feedback that those of us who bring diversity to the bench are not as qualified as others-- that we only were appointed because of our diversity. It's a trope we hear, and nobody says it right to our faces, but I want to address that because I have a stellar background and reputation. I believe I'm a good judge and I deserve to have been appointed regardless of my diversity. Many of us, including me, have had to fight harder for where we are than others who have certain privileges. I had many doors shut in my face early in my career and not being offered certain opportunities because of my diversity. I graduated with honors from a very good law school [George Washington University Law School]. I was a litigator, I'm licensed to practice in three states, and I have served in litigation director roles at nonprofit organizations overseeing class action litigation, challenging laws that negatively impact people with disabilities. I was incredibly well qualified to be appointed, as were my colleagues. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-consider-appointment-third-district-court-appeal Commission to Consider Appointment to Third District Court of AppealBalassone, Merrill Wed, 01/04/2023 - 10:43 News Release Public documents are available here.  SAN FRANCISCO—The Commission on Judicial Appointments will hold a public hearing on Feb. 14 starting at 2 p.m. in the Supreme Court Courtroom—350 McAllister Street in San Francisco—to consider the appointment of Judge Shama Hakim Mesiwala to the Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento. Judge Mesiwala would fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Coleman A. Blease. Seating in the courtroom will be limited—with some overflow seating also available in the auditorium—and any mask requirements will be enforced as may be required by state and local health directives in effect at the time of the hearing. The hearing will be webcast live on the California Courts Newsroom. The state Constitution specifies that a gubernatorial appointment to the Supreme Court is effective when confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. The commission members who will consider the appointment are California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero (Chair), California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Acting Presiding Justice Ronald Robie. Appointee Summary BiographyJudge Shama Hakim Mesiwala has served as a Sacramento County Superior Court judge since 2017 and was a commissioner there in 2017. Judge Mesiwala has been an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law since 2013. She was a judicial attorney at the Third District Court of Appeal from 2004 to 2017, where she served as a senior judicial attorney for Justice Ronald B. Robie from 2006 to 2017 and as a central staff attorney from 2004 to 2006. Judge Mesiwala served as a staff attorney at the Central California Appellate Program from 1999 to 2004 and as an attorney at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Eastern District of California in 1999. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. Testimony and Comment Persons who wish to testify or comment on the appointment must submit their information for receipt by the commission no later than 5 p.m. Feb. 6, 2023 (five court days prior to hearing). Anyone wishing to testify before the commission must state that request in writing and include a summary of the facts on which any testimony or opinion will be based. Submissions via email to coja@jud.ca.gov are strongly encouraged. Hard copies are not required. If you would like to mail your request, you may also reach the commission at: Commission on Judicial Appointmentsc/o Chief Justice of California Supreme Court of California 350 McAllister Street San Francisco, California 94102 Attention: Secretary to the Commission Guidelines for the Commission on Judicial Appointments are published in the appendix to the California Rules of Court and are posted on the California Courts website. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/sacramento-court-hosts-lgbtq-panel-discussion-0 Sacramento Court Hosts LGBTQ+ Panel DiscussionCorren, Blaine Tue, 11/01/2022 - 15:21 Feature The Sacramento Superior Court recently hosted an educational panel discussion for its judicial officers, court staff, and bailiffs on how to better serve the LGBTQ+ community. Broadcast via Zoom, the hour-long discussion took place Oct. 13, in recognition of National Coming Out Day, an annual awareness day observed to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in "coming out of the closet.” “We’re trying to bring awareness to issues of diversity and inclusion and understand how we can best serve all communities that interact with the court.” --Judge Andi Mudryk, Sacramento Superior Court Based on questions submitted anonymously by court employees, discussion topics included: Personal experiences with bias and how even seemingly minor incidents can negatively affect victims Misgendering and its powerful impact on the recipient Gendered language versus gender-neutral language of inclusivity Treating courthouse visitors with respect from the time they enter the courthouse A collaborative effort of multiple courts and judges, the event featured as panelists (counter-clockwise from top right) San Francisco County Judge Linda Colfax, Alameda County Judge Victoria Kolakowski, Santa Clara County Judge Jessica Delgado, and Sacramento County Judge Andi Mudryk, and was moderated by Sacramento County Supervising Public Defender Mark Slaughter. The event represented the first time two transgender superior court judges (Judge Kolakowski and Judge Mudryk) from the same state have spoken on the same panel about LGBTQ+ issues. Panelists Share Their Advice, Experiences“Everyone in the courtroom—including witnesses, victims, jurors, defendants, court staff, attorneys, and the general public—should at a minimum be treated with dignity, humanity, and respect,” San Francisco County Judge Linda Colfax. “It’s what the public should be able to expect of us.” “In my role as a judge, I’m concerned with how to create a courtroom setting that is inclusive,” added Santa Clara County Judge Jessica Delgado. “I try to create an affirming space, such as beginning every courtroom session by announcing my pronouns and addressing parties by their preferred pronouns as well." Judge Delgado added that she also uses litigants' preferred pronouns in her written decisions. Alameda County Judge Victoria Kolakowski recalled an incident when an attorney and bailiff in her courtroom were heard making disparaging remarks about transgender individuals while she was out of earshot in chambers. “People can be very polite to our faces, but say horrible things about us behind our backs,” said Judge Kolakowski. “Mocking or making fun of people is not acceptable in a courtroom, and is not acceptable for officers of the court or court staff.” Panel Is Part of Sacramento Court’s Community Outreach ProgramThe panel was presented by the Sacramento Superior Court’s Community Engagement and Fairness Committee, which works to eliminate inequities and biases in the court system to ensure all people feel welcomed, included, and valued. The committee previously hosted a disabilities workshop for its employees. “The Sacramento County Superior Court strives to create an inclusive environment for everyone who walks through our doors,” said Presiding Judge Michael G. Bowman. “The recent LGBTQ+ panel discussion is just one facet of this effort.” “We’re trying to bring awareness to issues of diversity and inclusion and understand how we can best serve all communities that interact with the court,” added Sacramento County Judge Andi Mudryk. “We can’t really include everyone or treat people with complete humanity unless we understand who they are, and allow them to be who they are.” Statewide Efforts to Address Bias and Diversity Training on Unconscious Bias: Under Rule 10.469 of the California Rules Of Court, all state judicial officers must participate in education on unconscious bias, as well as the prevention of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and inappropriate workplace conduct. The education includes issues related to gender and sexual orientation.An online toolkit developed by the Judicial Council helps judicial officers fulfill this education requirement by offering training on unconscious bias and cultural responsiveness. In addition, the council’s Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness makes proposals on education for judicial officers and court staff related to improving access to the judicial system, fairness in the state courts, and diversity in the judicial branch.   Addressing Bias in the Courts Workgroup: Last year, the council approved recommendations from a workgroup appointed by the Chief Justice to revise the standard of court administration that promotes an environment free of bias and the appearance of bias in court proceedings. The workgroup invited and received input on the recommendations from members of the public, attorney groups, and judicial officers.   Multi-Branch Effort to Increase Judicial Diversity: A valuable tool to continue diversifying the California bench, the Judicial Diversity Toolkit encourages courts to reach out to underrepresented groups—which include individuals with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, and sexual orientations—to educate and advise them about pursuing careers in the law.Governor Newsom last July announced the California Judicial Mentor Program as a statewide undertaking between the executive and judicial branches to develop and recruit qualified and diverse judicial applicants for the state’s superior and appellate courts. That statewide program includes judicial mentoring programs in all of the state’s appellate and trial courts.   Historic Judicial Appointments: Judge Victoria Kolakowski became the first openly transgender trial court judge in California when she was elected in Alameda County in 2010. And fellow panel member Sacramento County Judge Andi Mudryk in March of this year became the first openly transgender person in the state to be appointed by a governor to serve on the bench.Other notable, diverse judicial appointments in the last ten years have included Justice Jim Humes in 2012 as the first openly gay justice appointed to the California Court of Appeal and Justice Martin Jenkins in 2020 as the first openly gay California Supreme Court justice.   Report on Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation of Judiciary: Every year, the council surveys California judges and justices to get a snapshot of the demographics of the California bench—which for the last 11 years has included gender identity/sexual orientation. Responding to the questionnaire is voluntary for judges, and the data only reflects the responses provided.Of the respondents who provided information last year about gender identity/sexual orientation, the following identified as:   Lesbian - 1.8%  (up from 1.1% in 2011) Gay - 2.3% (up from 1.0% in 2011) Bisexual - 0.2% (up from 0% in 2011) Transgender - 0.1% (up from .06% in 2011)In addition to the above categories, the report also records how many judicial officers opted not to answer the gender identity/sexual orientation question. From 2012 to 2021, the number of judicial officers who didn’t respond to that question has decreased from 40% to 22%. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-confirms-appointments-courts-appeal-8 Commission Confirms Appointments to Courts of AppealBalassone, Merrill Thu, 01/06/2022 - 12:02 News Release Reports on the nominees can be found here. The webcast of these confirmation hearings will be posted to the California Courts YouTube channel shortly. Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, chair of the Commission on Judicial Appointments, announced the commission today confirmed two nominations to the California Courts of Appeal in Sacramento and Santa Ana.  The hearings were held virtually.  The nominees were confirmed by unanimous vote of the three-member commission, which includes Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye (Chair); Attorney General Rob Bonta; and either Presiding Justice Manuel A. Ramirez (for Judge Sanchez), or Presiding Justice Vance W. Raye (for Judge Earl). Those confirmed were: Judge Maurice Sanchez, as Associate Justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three (Santa Ana)   Judge Laurie M. Earl, as Associate Justice of the Third District Court of Appeal (Sacramento) Appointee Biographies Judge Maurice Sanchez fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Raymond J. Ikola. He has served as an Orange County Superior Court judge since 2018. Judge Sanchez was a partner at Nelson, Mullins, Riley and Scarborough (2017-2018) and at Baker and Hostetler (2005-2017). He was a shareholder at Alvarado, Smith and Sanchez (1993-2005) and managing counsel at Mazda Motor of America Inc. (1991-1993). Judge Sanchez was senior counsel at Hyundai Motor America (1986-1991) and an associate at Rutan and Tucker (1981-1986). He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Judge Laurie M. Earl fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice M. Kathleen Butz. She has served as a Sacramento County Superior Court judge since 2005. Judge Earl was senior assistant inspector general at the Sacramento County Office of Inspector General (2004-2005) and a deputy district attorney at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office (1995-2004). She served as an assistant public defender at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office (1989-1995). Judge Earl earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Lincoln Law School of Sacramento.