For the fourth straight year, the branch receives investment from lawmakers to continue emphasis on innovations that promote greater access to justice. See News Release

The council receives a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to continue work in the area of defendants’ inability to pay fines and fees, while council's administrative director is selected to a national task force studying the issue. Read Feature.

The council approves guidelines for for an 18-month traffic amnesty program, resolving 175,936 delinquent accounts and collecting nearly $30 million in the first 11 months. See Spotlight

Following up on her State of the Judciary address, the Chief Justice establishes the Pretrial Detention Reform Working Group. The Judicial Council and the courts continue with 12 pilot projects that are testing the effectiveness of pretrial release programs. View video.

Five new courthouses open in Kings, Merced, Santa Clara, Sutter, and Tehama Counties. However, $1.4 billion in construction fund redirections made by the Governor and Legislature derails plans for other county projects. Read more.

In May, the state Supreme Court streams its oral argument sessions live with real-time captioning in English and Spanish. By December, the court expands the effort and streams two days of oral arguments from Los Angeles. See webcast archive.

Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and the Power of Democracy Steering Committee celebrates the new California History-Social Science Framework for educators that includes a greater focus on civic learning.