Each year, courts hear more than 16 million criminal cases and about 38 million traffic cases, with people missing anywhere from 12% to 53% of court hearings, depending on the type of charge and the location. Those absences are largely unintentional, research shows—and reminding people that they have an upcoming court hearing, with simple, well-designed text message reminders, can significantly and cost-effectively reduce missed appearances, leading to better outcomes for all involved.

A lawsuit by the Trump administration to require California to turn over personal information on millions of voters, including their driver’s license and Social Security numbers, was rejected Thursday by a federal judge, who said the information was protected by privacy laws.

(Subscription required) "People are gonna start being being embarrassed by not doing it if they feel that their legal services can be enhanced with the assistance of AI," said Supreme Court lawyer Adam Unikowsky.

A Folsom resident’s lawsuit halted a proposed mixed-use building in the city’s historic district because it would have been 4 feet taller than allowed under city rules, a judge ruled. The city in 2023 approved the three-story mixed-use building, including two housing units, for a vacant lot at 603 Sutter St.