https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/ en https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/building-safer-communities-one-young-adult-time Building Safer Communities, One Young Adult at a Timeelaine.chan Tue, 01/20/2026 - 09:20 Feature On December 18, nine individuals walked out of Department 26 in the San Francisco Hall of Justice with big smiles and heads held high. Their families and friends looked on proudly as they celebrated their remarkable achievements—graduating from the Young Adult Court (YAC) program and having their criminal records forever sealed. Judge Eric Fleming (left) hands a graduate (right) his sealed record—a moment of triumph. “One mistake does not permanently define someone—they deserve another opportunity under clear expectations and boundaries,” said Judge Eric Fleming, who presides over the San Francisco YAC program. “It’s not about judging people. What’s important about being a young adult, is learning from your mistakes so that you can exercise better judgment and grow as a person.” What Is the YAC Program? First-of-its-kind in the nation, YAC was established in August 2015 by Judge Bruce Chan to address the unique developmental needs of young adults in the justice system. Young adults with felony and misdemeanor charges may be referred to YAC by the Public Defender’s Office, District Attorney’s Office, Adult Probation, or private counsel. With support from their case managers, YAC participants progress through four structured phases. On average, it takes 12–18 months for the participants to complete the program: Phase 1: Engagement and Assessment Phase 2: Stability and Accountability Phase 3: Wellness and Community Connection Phase 4: Program Transition (and graduation day) To graduate, each participant must complete a Wellness Care Plan and demonstrate their adherence to the program. One graduate wrote in his Wellness Care Plan: “Jail wasn’t the worst thing. It’s knowing that life is going on and you are frozen in time while everyone is moving on with their lives. That scared me…I just drank my life away until YAC started to teach me what the program was about, which gave me a new light to follow in my life.” “Young adults have very different needs when it comes to life, challenges, treatment, or no treatment,” said Melanie Kushnir, the director of the Collaborative Justice Programs at the San Francisco Superior Court. “YAC is a way to improve public safety by meeting young people where they are at, and seeing what they need to be successful, including education, safe housing, trauma treatment, and addressing substance use. YAC seeks to find out the right tools to address it.” Why a Special Court Specifically for Young Adults? The prefrontal cortex of the brain—responsible for cognitive processing and impulse control—does not fully develop until the age of 25. During this critical developmental stage, young adults can be vulnerable to making negative decisions, especially for those without supportive family, housing, education, employment, and other critical factors that can help them navigate this tumultuous period. The traditional justice system does not account for these developmental differences. YAC, however, offers a structured, supportive approach to help young adults address the root causes of their behavior. What Do the Numbers Say? From August 2015 to August 2025, more than 400 participants were accepted to YAC, with 197 graduating from the program. In 2024 alone, 102 justice-involved young adults completed YAC with a 50% graduation rate, and 73% remained arrest-free after graduation. Young Adult Court Spreading Nationwide The model of YAC has been adopted in Orange County in California, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and New York. Similar courts are being considered in other states, including Arizona, Minnesota, Tennessee, Hawaii, Nebraska, and Montana, with the guidance and mentorship from the San Francisco Superior Court. As the founder of the program, Judge Chan is championing YAC nationwide, advising legal leaders on its benefits. “I think our work in the criminal courts is akin to working in the emergency room of a public hospital,” said Judge Chan. “We come face to face every day with the most difficult and intractable social problems—homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, chronic poverty, food insecurity, child abuse and neglect, to name a few. And just like in the ER, the people who come to our courts don’t want to be there in the first place. This central dilemma—how to treat the unwilling—has led us to embrace an approach that we see you, care for you, and listen to you.” Learn more about the San Francisco Young Adult Court program. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/judicial-council-announces-2025-distinguished-service-award-recipients Judicial Council Announces 2025 Distinguished Service Award Recipientselaine.chan Mon, 10/13/2025 - 13:55 News Release The Judicial Council of California today announced three recipients of its 2025 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 are Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert, Judge Jonathan Conklin, and Court Executive Officer Rebecca Fleming. This year’s Aranda Access to Justice Award will be awarded to Judge Bruce Chan and Judge Samantha Jessner. Co-sponsored by the Judicial Council, the California Judges Association, the California Lawyers Association, and the Commission on Access to Justice, the award honors a judge who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to improving access to our courts, and who has significantly improved access for low- and moderate-income Californians. “We honor this year’s recipients for their exceptional contributions to the state’s judicial branch,” said Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero. “Through their dedicated service and commitment, these court leaders have expanded access to justice and inspired us all to continue improving the administration of justice for all Californians.” This year’s Distinguished Service Award recipients are: Presiding Justice Arthur GilbertCourt of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Six (Ventura) Throughout his 50 years on the bench, Presiding Justice Arthur Gilbert has sought to improve the statewide administration of justice. He has served on many Judicial Council committees, including the Court Interpreters Advisory Panel, Advisory Committee on Legal Forms, and the Center for Judicial Education and Research Governing Committee. Having a passion for judicial education and raising the public’s awareness of the courts, Presiding Justice Gilbert has served as faculty for many judicial education programs, lectured frequently at State Bar events, and participated in moot court sessions at law schools. His long-time monthly Daily Journal column “Under Submission” also serves to spread his knowledge of the courts and the rule of law to fellow judges and attorneys. In addition, his “Gilbert Submits” blog features popular legal commentary from his Daily Journal columns—more than 300 pieces spanning two decades, compiled into two books. Presiding Justice Gilbert began his judicial service at the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1975, was appointed to the Court of Appeal by former Governor Jerry Brown in 1982, and became presiding justice of his division in 1999. He has served on several Governors' judicial selection committees to help recruit and evaluate qualified applicants for judicial appointment, helping to diversify the applicant pool to communities that have been underrepresented.   Judge Jonathan ConklinSuperior Court of Fresno County Judge Jonathan Conklin has dedicated 40 years to public service, including 20 years as a superior court judge in Fresno County. As presiding judge of the Fresno Superior Court from 2014 to 2015, and a longtime member of the court’s executive committee, Judge Conklin helped lead the court through significant budget challenges, including the closure of rural branch courts while expanding remote access through video proceedings, electronic warrants, and e-filing. He has been a key figure in the court’s judicial education and access to justice efforts. He led the court’s participation in the Fresno County High School Mock Trial Program for 20 years, and also participated in the High School Youth Court Program for well over a decade. From 2018 to 2024, Judge Conklin served on the Judicial Council. Prior to that, he contributed to important Judicial Council workgroups. Those included the Language Access Plan Implementation Task Force, which developed the Strategic Plan for Language Access in the California Courts. Conklin also helped lead the AB 1058 Funding Methodology Workgroup which addressed funding for Child Support Commissioners and Family Law Facilitators.  For the past decade, Judge Conklin has chaired the council’s Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee. In that role, he has guided the council in assessing new approaches to achieving greater equality in trial court funding. Judge Conklin’s leadership has been instrumental in promoting equal access to justice and strengthening the administration of California’s courts, especially during times of budget challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic.   Rebecca FlemingCourt Executive Officer, Superior Court of Santa Clara County Rebecca Fleming has devoted her career to strengthening California’s judicial branch, including serving in senior management roles for more than 18 years before becoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Santa Clara Superior Court in 2017. Fleming has led numerous innovative technological initiatives to improve public access and streamline internal court operations. During her tenure at the Santa Clara Superior Court, she implemented solutions that allow the public to remotely view case information, pay fines and fees, and access real-time court updates, significantly reducing the need for in-person visits. As a vital liaison between her court and county government, Fleming fosters collaboration that enhances community understanding of the courts’ role and promotes civic engagement. Under her leadership, the Santa Clara Court has been repeatedly recognized for its outreach efforts and dedication to public service. These efforts include Law Day contests for students, youth artwork displays in courthouses, and events designed to inspire future legal leaders. Fleming is also a strong advocate for statewide funding equity. In addition to serving as vice-chair of the council’s Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee (TCBAC) since 2013 and co-chair of its Funding Methodology Subcommittee from 2015–2023, she has testified before the California Legislature and worked to help create viable budget solutions during years of financial uncertainty. Throughout her tenure on the council, Fleming has championed initiatives promoting equal access to justice, including policies designed to address the shortage of court reporters, improve interpreter services for limited English speakers, and standardize court data collection. More information on the Distinguished Service Awards and previous recipients Aranda Access to Justice Award Judge Bruce ChanSuperior Court of San Francisco County As the founding judicial leader of San Francisco’s Young Adult Court (YAC), Judge Bruce Chan has spent the past decade creating a model of collaborative justice that expands access to meaningful court engagement for low-income young adults, many of whom have experienced poverty, abuse and neglect, community violence, homelessness, and systemic marginalization. First of its kind in the nation, the YAC was established in 2015 to provide accountability and transformative opportunities based on the neuroscience of the developing brain and the unique needs of young adults ages 18–25. It operates as a collaborative court for transitional-age youth facing felony charges who seek to have their records expunged in exchange for successful participation in and graduation from the program. Judge Chan also champions inter-disciplinary training for members of the collaborative court, including motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy, and integrating clinical best practices into courtroom procedures. YAC has inspired similar efforts across the country—Judge Chan and the YAC team have presented over the past ten years at a number of meetings convened by the National Conference of State Legislatures, National League of Cities, and National Center for State Courts.   Judge Chan is a founding member and past chairman of Asian American Recovery Services, formerly the largest provider of substance abuse services to Asian Pacific Americans in California. He was also a member of the task force that established a drug treatment court in the San Francisco juvenile court.   Judge Samantha JessnerSuperior Court of Los Angeles County Judge Samantha Jessner was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court in 2007 and served as the court’s presiding judge from 2023–24. During her tenure as presiding judge, she was instrumental in increasing access for court users and the public. As the largest court in the nation, the Los Angeles Superior Court has experienced a significant surge in annual unlimited civil filings since 2008. To ease this backlog, Judge Jessner launched a Pathway Pilot Program for processing unlimited civil filings, an innovative and expansive effort to streamline case processing and promote timely access to justice. In addition, she created the Mediation Volunteer Program, a free or low-cost court-connected mediation program in which certified mediators volunteer their time to resolve civil matters for litigants who cannot otherwise afford a private mediator. In tackling the chronic court reporter shortage, Judge Jessner led her court’s efforts to introduce an internal court reporter training program and enhance incentives for recruitment, offering a paid internship, retention and signing bonuses, and a relocation reimbursement benefit. Recognizing that recruitment alone could not fill all gaps, Judge Jessner also led the expanded use of electronic recording in certain family law, probate, and civil proceedings when no court reporter is available. The goal is to preserve litigants’ access to a verbatim record in situations where fundamental constitutional rights might otherwise be impacted. Under Judge Jessner’s leadership, the Los Angeles Superior Court is one of the first courts in California to partner with public transit agencies to provide free public transit to residents travelling to and from jury service, which increases access to the court, expands civic engagement, and diversifies the court’s jury pools. She also led the court’s technology innovation efforts that helped increase access and streamline the court process for the public. Those efforts included piloting a digital evidence system in the small claims department and implementing the MyCitation ability-to-pay online tool. Furthermore, the Los Angeles Superior Court implemented bail reform for non-serious, non-violent offenders. Rather than determining an arrestee’s release status based solely on a person’s ability to pay an amount of money for bail, under the Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol, a judge determines a person’s risk to public or victim safety, as well as the person’s likelihood of returning to court. This is consistent with the constitutional purpose of bail described above and ensures equal treatment regardless of wealth. Helping to expand access statewide, Judge Jessner serves as vice-chair of the council’s Information and Technology Advisory Committee and chairs its Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee. More information on the Aranda Access to Justice Award and previous recipients https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/uc-berkeley-students-get-inside-look-careers-court-system UC Berkeley Students Get Inside Look into Careers in the Court SystemKaren.Datangel Mon, 07/28/2025 - 14:26 Feature Students in a UC Berkeley program that enables students to gain insight and experience into professional environments got a front row seat to learn about careers in California's court system. On July 16 and 18, the Judicial Council hosted a group of students from the Cal Job Shadow Program to help them explore career pathways, build their professional network, and learn how to apply their academic majors through connecting with professionals with a similar background. The job shadow program is co-sponsored by UC Berkeley Career Engagement and the Cal Alumni Association. UC Berkeley Students Hear From Council and Court Staff The July event marked the first time the Judicial Council has participated in the Cal Job Shadow Program, a short-term externship that can last from one day to two weeks through remote, in-person, or hybrid experiences. The council’s Administrative Director Shelley Curran welcomed the student cohort, and throughout the day, participating council staff members spoke about their work and why they chose to work in public service. Council staff delivered presentations on the judicial branch and legislative process, collaborative courts, and language access to the courts. Court staff from the San Francisco Superior Court also visited with students, providing insight on how data analytics informs court operations. Students also heard from court staff from the superior courts in Fresno, Placer, Kern, and Riverside counties, who participated in a virtual mediation role play with members from the council's Center for Families, Children, and the Courts. The student group toured the California Supreme Court and learned more about how cases get to the high court. Students also got a peek into the California Judicial Center Library to learn more about the vast resources and information available on the court system. The group attended the July 18 Judicial Council business meeting, and some council staff mentors offered additional shadowing over the week, giving students more opportunities to observe day-to-day activities and complete small projects. Job Shadow Program Opens Students to New Post-Grad Possibilities The Cal Job Shadow Program matches interested students to shadow organizations based on their educational and career interests. One incoming senior, Li Wan, is a data science major, but her interests were two-fold. "I'm an international re-entry student from China and I'm interested in how things work in the U.S.," said Wan. "It's why I was interested in this program: to learn more about data analytics in the courts and how the courts work to help society." For others like incoming senior Layla Goldberg, the opportunity gave her areas to consider prior to possibly applying for law school. "I've always pictured myself in the courts going to trial for my defendants, but I haven't 100 percent decided yet," said Goldberg. "I want to explore government affairs during my gap year. I've always been in nonprofit work in the past, but seeing what the Judicial Council is doing as a government entity has been exciting." Even for those with public service experience like incoming junior Citlaly Espino -- who worked at two congressional offices -- spending time with the Judicial Council opened her eyes to new opportunities. "I feel like my options in public service are so much broader than I expected," said Espino. "I can be in so many roles that I didn't know existed." View photos from the Judicial Council's activities with the Cal Job Shadow Program on Flickr. https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/judge-roger-chan-named-2022-wilmont-sweeney-juvenile-court-judge-year Judge Roger Chan Named 2022 Wilmont Sweeney Juvenile Court Judge of the Year Soltysik, Penne Tue, 12/27/2022 - 15:55 News Release Judge Roger Chan of the San Francisco Superior Court has been named the Wilmont Sweeney Juvenile Court Judge of the Year for 2022 by the Juvenile Court Judges of California, a section of the California Judges Association. The announcement was made during the CJA's (virtual) Annual Meeting on Dec. 15. Appointed in 2016 by Governor Jerry Brown, Judge Chan presides over family dependency and juvenile justice cases in the Unified Family Court. Judge Roger Chan: Was appointed by former governor Jerry Brown on June 28, 2016 Worked as a deputy public defender in San Francisco and Alameda counties for 10 years Graduated UC Hastings College of the Law Helped found the East Bay Children's Law Offices, a nonprofit that provides legal representation to youth in the juvenile justice system Roger has been a force of nature in the Juvenile Justice field.  He shares freely his extensive knowledge of juvenile law and has been an integral part of the Juvenile Court Judges' Legislative Committee. -Santa Clara County Judge Shawna Schwarz, Supervising Judge, Juvenile Dependency Court Judge Chan credits his experience as a public defender, coupled with his cultural background, for his ability to be the judge he is today. "It is really important that people who come to court feel they're listened to and seen." "Judge Chan has been the most effective leader in our efforts to ensure that our legislature hears from the juvenile court judges when considering legislation that impacts the juvenile court.-Len Edwards (retired judge from the Santa Clara County Superior Court) The Wilmont Sweeney Juvenile Court Judge of the Year is presented annually by juvenile court judges to a California juvenile court judge who exemplifies innovative dedication to California's youth.  Past Honorees: 1992 (First year) Judge Wilmont Sweeney, Alameda  1993 Judge Jaime Corral, Los Angeles 1994 Comm. Patricia Bresee, San Mateo 1995 Comm. Jeanne Buckley, Sonoma 1996 Judge Leonard Edwards, Santa Clara 1997 Judge Michael Nash, Los Angeles 1998 Judge James T. Warren, Riverside 1999 Judge Arnold Rosenfield, Sonoma 2000 Comm. Raymond A. Guadagni, Napa 2001 Judge Terry B. Friedman, Los Angeles 2002 Comm. Kristine McCarthy, Santa Clara 2003 Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte, Alameda 2004 Judge John E. Dobroth, Ventura 2005 Judge Susan Huguenor, San Diego 2006 Judge Dean T. Stout, Inyo 2007 Referee Sherri Sobel, Los Angeles 2008 Judge Kenneth G. Peterson, Sacramento 2009 Commissioner Paul Seeman, Alameda 2010 Commission Jacqueline Lewis, Los Angeles 2011 Judge Katherine Lucero, Santa Clara 2012 Judge Donna Groman, Los Angeles 2013 Judge Patrick Tondreau, Santa Clara 2014 Judge Stacy Boulware Eurie, Sacramento 2015 Judge Shawna M. Schwarz, Santa Clara 2016 Judge Carolyn M. Caietti, San Diego 2017 Judge Margaret S. Henry, Los Angeles 2018 Judge Jerilyn Borack, Sacramento 2019 Judge Anthony Trendacosta, Los Angeles 2020 Judge Douglas J. Hatchimonji, Orange 2021 Judge Catherine Pratt, Los Angeles