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At least 31 California counties home to 80 percent of the state's residents have kept COVID-19 emergency bail schedules to help curb the spread of the virus in jails and surrounding communities during the pandemic, according to data from superior courts.

The budget cuts $200 million from the state court system, though $150 million could be restored if the federal government sends additional aid by the fall.

Starting Monday, March 2, North County residents will no longer be required to drive to downtown San Diego to file their probate matters.

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.  

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

Since 2002, the judicial branch has overseen the addition of 29 new safe and accessible court facilities around the state, improving access to justice for millions of Californians.

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

The Judicial Council received a report on how the state’s trial courts used additional funding included in this fiscal year’s judicial branch budget to expand hours, reopen closed locations, and invest in new technology to increase access to justice for the public.

Emergency meeting of court and branch leaders from around the state will focus on measures to ensure California courts can meet stringent health directives while also providing due process and access to justice.

Guide addresses more than 200 questions and topics related to facilities, personnel, jury management, case management and processing, and communications.

The Judicial Council approved a revision to emergency rule 9 regarding the statutes of limitations for filing civil cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to clarify that the emergency rule also applies to “statutes of repose”.

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.