News Release

Judicial Council to Consider Policy Concepts on Use of Branch Data and Information

The Judicial Council meets this Friday, May 21. The livestream will be posted at 9:30 a.m.
May 17, 2021

VIA WEB CONFERENCE—The Judicial Council at its May 21 meeting will consider recommendations to improve how the judicial branch uses data and information to guide decisions on expanding and improving court operations and services.

Principles for the new data and information policy concepts encourage the branch to:

  • Collect, use, and share data and information to promote and support informed decision-making
  • Be clear about the use and purpose of data and information
  • Promote data transparency
  • Follow published standards and governance principles when sharing data
  • Secure all data and information and manage it according to established retention requirements

The new data and information policy concepts reflect numerous conversations with court leaders, who acknowledged that better data and information management could improve how they evaluate funding needs, staffing allocations, and case calendars and processing, essentially focusing its available resources on the areas of greatest need or greatest potential benefit for the public.

Other items on the council meeting agenda include:

Guidelines for Video Remote Interpreting: In response to the increased use of remote proceedings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the council will consider updated guidelines for spoken language interpreting in video remote proceedings. The revised guidelines will support both physical and virtual courtrooms to ensure access to justice and the health and safety of court users, court staff, and judicial officers.

Court Interpreters Program Funding: The council will consider a proposal to require courts to return unspent funding for eligible trial court interpreter expenses, which will then help reimburse those courts with a shortfall. With over 200 languages spoken in California, court interpreters play a critical role in providing equal access to the court system.

Advisory Member Appointments: The council will consider reappointing Associate Justice Carin T. Fujisaki and Presiding Judge Ann C. Moorman as non-voting advisory members. The reappointments of these advisory positions would enable the council to maintain continuity of leadership to address critical judicial branch policy issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the administration of justice.

Board of State and Community Corrections Appointment: The council will consider appointing Judge Janet Gaard (Ret.) to the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). The BSCC is an independent statutory agency that provides leadership to the adult and juvenile criminal justice systems, and expertise on public safety realignment issues. The BSCC is composed of 13 members, including a judge appointed by the Judicial Council.

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.

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