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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

Jury Innovations

Superior Courts

Judicial Council

Kiosks help expedite the juror check-in process, helping courts operate and serve jurors more efficiently.

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.

Judicial Council

Feature - June 9, 2017

Courts Offer Self-Help Services Remotely

Videoconference technology helps deliver self-help services remotely and increases a court's outreach.

Self-Help website

SHARP program

Superior Courts

Feature - July 14, 2017

California's Collaborative Justice Courts

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

Collaborative Justice Courts

Fact Sheet: Collaborative Justice Courts

Superior Courts

Counsel speaking to jurist during a collaborative justice court session in foreground, judge sitting on bench in background.

Feature - August 31, 2017

Courts Adapt to Tech-Savvy Users

More than 150 judges, court managers and IT professionals came together in Sacramento last week to find new ways to harness technologies to offer better service and access to the public.

Chief Justice

Superior Courts

Feature - May 30, 2018

Can We Text You?

As Californians do more business on mobile devices, the state’s courts are joining in on the trend, from texting court payments to receiving jury service updates.

Feature - June 27, 2018

What's in the Judicial Branch Budget?

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.

Superior Courts

Feature - June 17, 2019

Lessons from the Old Courthouse in El Centro

In a commentary, Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar reflects on growing up in the Imperial Valley and progress achieved through the Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court Initiative.

Supreme Court

Chief Justice

Feature - December 6, 2019

Operation Mobile Justice

To prepare for potential emergencies, the Orange County court collaborated with Cal State Fullerton to practice using the campus’s emergency operations center as a makeshift courtroom.

Superior Court of Orange County

Superior Courts

The Orange County court’s emergency exercise simulated an actual courtroom proceeding, including a court commissioner, the parties, and security personnel.

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.

Judicial Council