News Stream

Report Supports Case for Collaborative Courts and Pretrial Programs

January 10, 2020

At its Jan. 17 meeting, the Judicial Council will receive a final report on a three-year grant for 39 collaborative courts and pretrial programs that tracked retention, recidivism, and failure to appear rates for participating defendants.

Categories: Judicial Council

Judicial Council Presents 2019 Awards of Distinction and Service

October 10, 2019

The Judicial Council presented the 2019 Distinguished Service Awards on Nov 14 in San Francisco. The prestigious Aranda Access to Justice Award was also presented in partnership with the California Lawyers Association and the California Judges Association.

Categories: Access 3D, Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye, Judicial Council

Restorative Justice Programs Offer Veterans a New Mission

October 04, 2019

Veterans surrender to a personal mission thanks to a growing number of Veterans Courts.

Categories: Access 3D, Superior Courts

Court Removes Legal Barriers to Help the Homeless

November 09, 2018

Nearly 30 years ago, the nation's first homeless court held a special session at Stand Down to help homeless veterans restore their lives. Now, the program has expanded nationwide to assist the general homeless population.

Categories: Superior Courts, Innovations and Research

“We’re building strength instead of wagging a finger.”

September 18, 2018

A Q&A with Steve Binder, a 2018 Distinguished Service Award recipient from San Diego whose innovative court model started a nationwide movement.

Categories: Judicial Council, Superior Courts, Criminal Justice Reform

San Joaquin Court Transforms Lives

May 04, 2018

Thanks to the San Joaquin County's Collaborative Court program, close to 300 dedicated and determined treatment court participants have a lot to celebrate.

Categories: Superior Courts

A Road to Recovery

December 22, 2017

The Superior Court of Monterey established its DUI Treatment Court in October 2015 and has graduated 24 people from the program.

Categories: Superior Courts, Innovations and Research

Creating Access: California Judicial Branch Year in Review

December 21, 2017

In 2017, the state judicial branch strove to ensure equal access to justice for all Californians. This recap highlights the areas of highest priority.

Categories: Judicial Council

California's Collaborative Justice Courts

July 14, 2017

Did you know that California was one of the first states to establish a collaborative court in the U.S.?

Categories: Criminal Justice Reform, Superior Courts

Restoring Lives & Communities One Vet at a Time

June 15, 2017

For veterans who've been charged with minor crimes, veteran courts offer restorative justice as opposed to incarceration.

Categories: Criminal Justice Reform

In Teen Courts, A Second Chance

June 09, 2017

California’s 75 teen courts let youth face a jury of their peers – and steer cases away from the juvenile justice system.

Categories: Superior Courts, Criminal Justice Reform

Reentry Courts Focus on Parolees at Highest Risk

June 15, 2016

With California’s growing focus on criminal justice reform comes expanding use of reentry courts as an alternative to cycles of re-incarceration. Reentry courts, a type of collaborative justice court for individuals released from jail or prison, offer...

Categories: Criminal Justice Reform, Judicial Council

Drug Courts Evolve to Repair Lives; Reduce Recidivism

May 18, 2016

Roughly 206 drug courts serve residents in 53 of California’s 58 counties. By helping people with substance abuse issues repair their lives, drug courts divert those who could otherwise cycle repeatedly through the criminal justice system.

Categories: Criminal Justice Reform, Superior Courts

Youth Courts Helping Keep Kids in School

May 10, 2016

Youth court leaders, judges, youth court staff, volunteers, education and youth-focused organizations, and community service leaders will gather in Santa Cruz this June to exchange information on best practices for youth courts.

Categories: Children and Families, Superior Courts

Los Angeles Creates a New Kind of Court

March 11, 2016

The Los Angeles Superior Court has taken problem-solving courts to a new level by combining collaborative courts for defendants with multiple issues. The new Community Collaborative Courts address the needs of multiple at-risk and vulnerable populations,...

Categories: Innovations and Research, Superior Courts