(Subscription required) A Tuesday morning hearing in a decades-long case about mental health care in California prisons followed what has become a traditional pattern: The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation asked for more time, and attorneys for the plaintiffs said that the agency has had years to address its problems.

After law school, candidates will spend 675 hours working under the supervision of an experienced attorney and create a portfolio of legal work that bar officials will grade as an alternative to the traditional bar exam.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday certified the Sites Reservoir Project for judicial streamlining, marking a significant step in California's ongoing efforts to expedite critical infrastructure projects that will deliver clean energy, ensure safe drinking water, and modernize the state's transportation system.

The effort to get a new courthouse for Lake County, now nearly 15 years in the making, is moving forward, with construction expected to begin next year. The Lake County Superior Court said the new Lakeport courthouse project is nearing the completion of design.