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Governor Gavin Newsom signed his first state budget on Thursday, which includes nearly $470 million in new judicial branch funding to continue the courts’ steady recovery after years of deep cuts.

Council also approves expansion of an online pilot program enabling low-income litigants to request reductions in traffic infraction fines and fees remotely

Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye this week called for the creation of a Judicial Council Budget Committee to review recommendations on statewide budget changes, the use of statewide reserves, and proposals for grant funding for judicial branch ...

At its May 15 teleconference meeting, the council received reports on potential reductions to judicial branch funding, as well as planning efforts to restore court access and services restricted due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Jerry Brown signed a state budget on Wednesday that will help restore court services slashed during the recession, fund courthouse projects, and improve access to justice for millions of Californians.  

The Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles is undergoing a retrofit of its lighting fixtures that will recover installation costs in less than two years and save taxpayers more than $6 million over the next 10 years in energy savings.

Facing growing numbers of civil and family law litigants representing themselves, courts are expanding services offered through “self-help” centers.

Demolition work to prepare the site for a new Santa Barbara Criminal Courthouse is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks. Perimeter fencing and other preparations for demolition are set to begin Sept. 24.

At its July 20 business meeting, the Judicial Council approved funding for the state’s 58 trial courts, including $47.8 million in new funding to boost the budgets of the neediest courts.

"The judicial branch budget presented by the Legislature and signed by the Governor represents a tremendous investment in providing equal access to justice for all Californians," the Chief Justice said.

While the model has helped equalize funding gaps across counties, chronic underfunding of the judicial branch has complicated its rollout.

How are self-help centers being managed with shrinking resources? This newsroom feature takes a look at two very different centers sharing the same challenges.