News Release

Council to Consider Allocation of State Budget Funds to Trial Courts

July 24 business meeting will determine how the council incorporates an ongoing budget reduction of $167.8 million, as well as $50 million in one-time funding included in the budget to help courts deal with backlogs caused by COVID-19-related service reductions.
Jul 20, 2020

VIA WEB CONFERENCE—At its July 24 meeting, the Judicial Council will consider recommendations on how to allocate funding to the trial courts included in the fiscal year 2020–21 State Budget.

The council’s Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends using court workload to determine how to incorporate an ongoing reduction of $167.8 million, as well as $50 million in one-time funding included in the budget to help courts deal with backlogs caused by COVID-19-related service reductions.

Funding may change based on state revenues and additional budget reductions stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recession.

Other items on the council meeting agenda include:

Budget Change Proposals: The council will consider budget change proposals for fiscal year 2021–22 to submit to the state Department of Finance. The proposals include additional funding for capital cases, self-help centers, and courthouse construction and maintenance.

Remote Video Appearances for Court Proceedings: The council will consider a report regarding remote appearances for most noncriminal court proceedings. The report includes initial policy recommendations, as well as resources and key items for courts to consider as they introduce or expand remote appearances. The report will be supplemented with information on more recent remote video efforts underway.

Final Meeting for Council’s Vice-Chair: Justice Ming W. Chin will retire from the California Supreme Court August 31, capping a nearly 25-year career on the state high court. His retirement also brings to a close his more than two decades of work for the Judicial Council. In addition to his time as a council member, he also chaired the council’s Court Technology Advisory Committee, California Commission for Impartial Courts, and Science and the Law Steering Committee. He also served as a member of the council’s Advisory Committee on Racial and Ethnic Bias and its Appellate Advisory Committee.

The complete 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.