Lactation pod inside a courthouse lobby

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California Courts Helping Nursing Moms by Adding Lactation Spaces

State courthouses added 32 new lactation spaces for the public, with plans to complete an additional 71 in the next 18 months
By Blaine Corren
Mar 10, 2025

California courts are making a trip to the courthouse a little more comfortable for an important segment of the population: nursing mothers.

The judicial branch recently added 32 new public lactation spaces in courthouses around the state, with plans to complete an additional 71 in the next 18 months. The state Legislature provided $15 million to complete the 103 lactation room projects, which should be completed by June 30, 2026.

Lactation pod inside a courthouse lobby
Lactation pods can be an efficient way to add a dedicated courthouse space for nursing mothers. 

Lactation Spaces Increase Access to Justice
Courthouses differ from other types of public buildings because of how much time court users and the public may need to spend there.

Attorneys, interpreters, and court reporters spend a considerable part of the day at the courthouse. Likewise, members of the public, including witnesses, crime victims, jurors, and family members of litigants, may spend many hours, days, or even weeks in court and need access to a lactation facility.

Without a dedicated lactation space, courthouse users would be forced to use bathrooms, hallways, closets, or their vehicles parked in lots or on the street.

Two soft chairs and a counter inside a room
Some courts are making use of or redesigning existing courthouse space to provide private areas for nursing mothers.

Next Steps to Further Expand Access to Lactation Spaces
More state funding is needed to address the remaining, assessed need for an additional 154 more lactation spaces in superior court facilities statewide.

To address this need, the Governor’s Proposed Budget for fiscal year 2025–26 includes $5.4 million to complete 22 of those projects; but an additional $50.5 million will still be needed to complete the remaining 132 projects.

Judicial Council Responsible for Majority of State’s Courthouses
The California Judicial Council supports the court facilities of California's Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and trial courts by providing a broad range of services: facility planning, design and construction, quality compliance, facility operations management, environmental compliance and sustainability, real estate services and asset management, and emergency planning and security coordination. Learn more at: courts.ca.gov/programs-initiatives/facilities.

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