(Subscription required) The judge in the social media addiction trial in Los Angeles struck one of the lead lawyers from the plaintiffs’ steering committee after he gave an interview on camera this week with the BBC and took a selfie from inside the courthouse.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Upinder Kalra received a commendation yesterday from this district’s Court of Appeal based on his alertness in handling a default judgment proceeding. “This case provides an example of an attempted abuse of the default process, only prevented by the diligence of the trial court,” Presiding Justice Helen Zukin of Div. Four said in an unpublished opinion.

The Judicial Council at its Feb. 20 meeting approved funding for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County to continue hosting a shared solution that sends automated text message notifications—such as hearing reminders—to court users in nine participating courts. This technology funding is part of a state modernization grant program managed by the council that helps courts improve services to the public. 

(Subscription required) Gov. Gavin Newsom nominated three justices to the state Courts of Appeal and appointed seven Superior Court judges in five counties, continuing a reshaping of California's judiciary.