California judicial officers visited more than 80 schools and reached a record-breaking 5,200 California K–12 students to promote civic engagement.

This year’s candidates are Associate Justice Joshua Groban and Associate Justice Kelli M. Evans. The California Supreme Court reviews appellate court rulings, which allows the high court to address major unsettled questions in state law.

On September 17, Pacific High School students and staff gathered for a special assembly as Justice Corey G. Lee, Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two, personally presented the school with the 2026 California Civic Learning Award of Distinction.

(Subscription required) Drawing on her experience as a public defender, prosecutor, and mother, the San Diego County judge strives to make litigants feel heard while navigating disputes that can shape children's lives for years.