NewsLinks is a collection of recent news items relating primarily to the California judicial branch. NewsLinks does not verify or endorse the accuracy or fairness of the news items, and the views expressed in opinions, editorials, and commentaries are those of the writers only. Some news articles linked from this page may require a subscription or be behind a paywall.

NewsLinks

  • Local Attorneys Presented “When You Turn 18 Program” to Mariposa County High School Seniors

    Sierra Sun Times
    May 16, 2026

    This year marked the 19th year that Mariposa Superior Court Presiding Judge Anita Starchman Bryant arranged the “When You Turn 18” program. A range of issues were addressed including driving under the influence, insurance, rental agreements, credit, working and taxes, crimes and consequences, dealing with domestic violence, civil laws and lawsuits, and finding legal help.

  • California Courts Celebrate Jurors

    California Courts Newsroom
    May 18, 2026

    On May 11-15, courts shined a spotlight on the citizens that help bolster our democracy by making the cherished right of trial by jury a reality.

  • CA Supreme Court To Review UCLA Voting Rights Project Case Against Bianco

    The Riverside Record
    May 15, 2026

    The California Supreme Court this week announced it would review the legal case filed by the UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP) on behalf of four Riverside County voters that Sheriff Chad Bianco illegally seized the ballots from last November’s statewide special election as part of his investigation into alleged election fraud, as first reported by The Riverside Record.

  • California Senate Confirms Laura Enderton-Speed as State Bar Director

    The Recorder
    May 15, 2026

    (Subscription required) Enderton-Speed, a former Judicial Council executive, has held the bar’s top administrative post since November. She received bipartisan support from the Senate Rules Committee at an April 30 hearing, and her appointment drew no debate on the Senate floor Thursday.

    Related: Law360

  • California lawyers can’t quit AI — even as hallucinated citations pile up

    San Francisco Chronicle
    May 18, 2026

    A lawsuit against Bay Area Rapid Transit by an officer who was fired after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 faced possible dismissal this spring because the officer’s lawyer had fallen ill and missed numerous deadlines. When the lawyer resurfaced, she filed arguments explaining her absence and why it shouldn’t be used against her client — but three of the four cases she cited as precedent, a federal magistrate found, were nonexistent.

  • New courthouse may open in summer of 2027, officials report

    Mendocino Beacon
    May 16, 2026

    Crews building the new Mendocino County Courthouse in Ukiah hope to have it completed in the summer of 2027, and showcasing many historical touches salvaged from the old building when its doors open.

  • Fourth Appellate District Announces Destruction of Old Court Records

    California Courts Newsroom
    May 15, 2026

    The Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division One (San Diego) has announced its intention to destroy some of its civil records under Rule 10.1028(d) of the California Rules of Court.

  • Student Voice Ambassadors Earn Civic Engagement Honors

    Kern County Superintendent of Schools
    May 15, 2026

    From fighting peer pressure on campus to raising awareness about mental health and reducing waste impact, students across Kern County are proving that young voices can create powerful change when given the opportunity to lead. This week, those students were recognized at the second annual Student Voice Ambassador Program (SVAP) Award Ceremony, where participants received the California State Seal of Civic Engagement.