(Subscription required) Raised helping her Korean immigrant parents run a drive-through dairy in the San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Grace Kim says her childhood shaped the way she approaches justice -- with discipline, humility, and empathy for the people appearing before her. 

Two of California’s largest courts are testing an AI tool that can draft orders and produce research memos. Judges so far are using it primarily for civil cases, but documents obtained by CalMatters indicate the possibility of expanded applications in criminal cases, where people’s freedom and access to justice are on the line. 

For years, courts have welcomed cases brought by self-represented litigants. Now those plaintiffs have A.I., and their filings are consuming more and more bandwidth.

Orange County Superior Court announced the launch of an eFiling program to better serve attorneys in criminal cases, beginning on Friday, May 22, 2026. The Criminal Defense Attorney Portal (CDAP) will enable attorneys to electronically file motions, petitions and responses that would have otherwise required in-person filing at the clerk’s office.