(Subscription required) The California Judicial Council approved measures Friday to address a growing shortage of courtroom interpreters, despite objections from interpreters who warned that inadequate pay and increasing reliance on artificial intelligence threaten both their profession and access to justice. California courts face a workforce crisis similar to the shortage of court reporters: an aging profession, too few new entrants and competition from private employers offering higher pay. 

(Subscription required) Women of color are the fastest-growing group of new California attorneys but report the legal profession's lowest workplace satisfaction, according to the State Bar of California's 2026 diversity report card. The report on roughly 201,000 active attorneys found record diversity among new lawyers has not produced equal workplace experiences.

The Judicial Council at its Oct. 16 business meeting adopted updated parameters to help assess judicial need in trial courts. The council also approved changes to court interpreter policies and heard a presentation about the importance of guardianship ahead of Adoption and Permanency Month.

(Subscription required) After more than a decade handling family law cases, Commissioner James T. Atkins knows the limits of judicial intervention but remains committed to helping families navigate their most difficult conflicts.