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Feature - September 15, 2017

Court Helps Courageous Family Give Boy a New Start

The Judicial Council on Thursday voted to proclaim November “Court Adoption and Permanency Month," when many California courts will dedicate extra courtrooms and judges to settling large numbers of adoption cases.

Foster Care

Dependency

Santa Clara

San Diego

"We feel your joy," California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye told the family.

Feature - December 15, 2016

Creating Access: The Judicial Council’s 2016 Annual Review

In 2016, the Judicial Council continued focusing on efforts to better stabilize branch funding, improve branch governance, and to address concerns about fairness raised by the public, our sister branches of government, and stakeholders throughout the state.

Feature - June 15, 2016

Reentry Courts Focus on Parolees at Highest Risk

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...

Reentry Courts

Parolee Reentry Court Program Evaluation

Reentry Court Roundtable Materials

Collaborative Courts

Criminal Justice Reform

News Release - November 17, 2017

Council Hears Why Money Bail Should End

At its meeting this week, the Judicial Council heard from the Pretrial Detention Reform Workgroup, approved legislative priorities, received an update on court innovation grants, and more.

Meeting agenda, reports, video

Judicial Council

Criminal Justice Reform

Judge Lisa Rodriguez (left) and Judge Brian Back, co-chairs of the Pretrial Detention Reform Workgroup.

News Release - November 1, 2017

Judicial Council Proclaims November Court Adoption and Permanency Month

November is Court Adoption and Permanency Month. Learn about events being held statewide.

Families and Children in the Courts

Report to the Judicial Council: Court Adoption and Permanency Month

89 adoptions finalized at special event in Ontario

Foster Care

Dependency

News Release - January 19, 2017

Council Hears That Pretrial Risk Assessment Can Lower Rate of Defendants’ Pretrial Misconduct

At its public meeting on January 19, Judicial Council members heard a report that the use of evidence-based practices in pretrial risk assessment can reduce misconduct and failure to appear rates for criminal defendants.

Judicial Council

Calif. Judges Wowed by Tool to Assess Criminal Defendants

Meeting archive (video)

Judicial Council

Criminal Justice Reform

Foster Care

Keeping Kids in School steering committee chairs, Judge Stacy Boulware Eurie (left) and Judge Donna Groman, present on the connections between trauma, truancy and school discipline practices for court-involved youth. Watch here. Slides are available here.

News Release - August 25, 2016

Judicial Council Approves Process for Awarding $25 Million for Court Innovations

At its meeting today, the Judicial Council adopted a process to award $25 million in grant funding to promote innovative and efficient programs in the courts.

Aug 25 Council Meeting Webpage

News Release - February 4, 2016

Administrative Director Named to National Task Force: Fines, Fees, and Bail

SAN FRANCISCO—Martin Hoshino, Administrative Director of the Judicial Council of California, was named to a newly created, national task force charged with addressing the ongoing impact that court fines, fees, and bail practices have on communities—especially the economically disadvantaged—across the United States.

Bail

Criminal Justice Reform

Judicial Council

News Release - December 3, 2019

California Courts Finalize More than 400 Adoptions Statewide

In counties across the state, kids leave the courthouse with new beginnings.

National Adoption Day

Los Angeles County's Adoption Project

Dependency

Los Angeles County Adoption Day welcomed special guest Judge Michael Nash (Ret.) who is credited with getting the national event started in 1998.

News Release - September 20, 2022

Judicial Council Approves Funding to Continue Modernizing Court Operations and Services

Technology projects include advancing the use of online and remote tools.

Feature - May 10, 2016

Courts Use Technology to Improve Jury Service

May 9-13 is Juror Appreciation Week, but courts are making the jury system better all year with check-in kiosks, text reminders, and web-based services.

Juror Appreciation Week

Jury Service in California

Feature - December 20, 2021

2021 Year in Review: Judicial Council of California

In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to challenge the state’s ability to ensure access to justice for the citizens of California. But like the previous year, California’s Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and the Judicial Council supported the courts as they remained flexible and innovative to ensure the justice system was open and vital services remained accessible to the public.