Div. Two of the First District Court of Appeal has affirmed the attempted murder and related convictions of a Black man who argued that some of his attorney’s statements during trial, comparing his groans during the attack to “growls” and describing his behavior as like that of a “raving animal,” violated California’s Racial Justice Act of 2020.

Throughout Constitution Month in September, courts across the state will partner with K-12 schools and community organizations to bring judges into classrooms, host courthouse visits, and provide civic learning resources for educators and students.

(Subscription required) A federal judge in Sacramento struck down California's AB 2839, which barred distribution of deceptive media of candidates before elections, ruling it discriminates based on content and viewpoint. The decision follows Judge John A. Mendez's earlier rejection of AB 2655, which required labeling deepfakes, marking the second time the state's attempts to regulate synthetic political media have fallen on constitutional grounds.

(Subscription required) After years of avoiding dissent, Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero has issued four in 2025, sharply criticizing the court's liberal bloc in major criminal rulings.