The 2025-26 budget provides $17.3 billion from the General Fund for judicial and criminal justice programs, including support for program operations and capital outlay projects. This is a decrease of $569 million, or 3 percent, below the revised 2024-25 level. This decline is largely due to reductions in General Fund spending in 2025-26, such as those made to address the state’s budget problem, as well as the expiration of limited-term funding provided in previous years.

A California appeals court denied Paul Flores’ appeal to overturn his murder conviction in the death of Kristin Smart, saying in an opinion released Friday that it found “no cumulative error” to grant a new trial.

Council hears from kin-first adoptive family on its successful experience; also approves changes to court rules and forms to help expand remote proceedings, process firearm relinquishment actions, and provide breaks for breastfeeding mothers in court.

(Subscription required) The terms of the agreement with UCLA would require, among other conditions, it to discontinue race- and ethnicity-based scholarships and eliminate the requirement for diversity statements in faculty hiring and promotion processes across all academic departments.