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Feature - July 10, 2020

California Counties Keeping COVID-19 Emergency Bail Schedules

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.

Covid-19

Bail

Superior Courts

News Release - June 3, 2020

Council Working Group Releases Pandemic Recovery Resource Guide for Courts

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

Judicial Council

Covid-19

Superior Courts

Recommendations for displays like this one in Napa County are outlined in a resource guide for courts created by a Judicial Council workgroup.

Feature - September 18, 2018

"You either self-destruct or you become a champion for others."

A Q&A with Judge Donna Groman, a 2018 Distinguished Service Award recipient, who overcame a tough childhood to become an advocate for California's at-risk youth.

Los Angeles

Criminal Justice Reform

Keeping Kids In School

Feature - May 23, 2018

Courts Celebrate Jurors

On May 14-18, courts celebrated the single largest cohort of court users in the nation—citizens appearing for jury duty.

Peer Courts = Juror Training

Courts Use Technology to Improve Jury Service

One Day or One Trial

Jury Duty

Feature - January 3, 2018

Courts Help Put New Laws into Effect

In 2018, a number of new laws were created in the hope of expanding the rights of Californians through the court system.

Judicial Council

Criminal Justice Reform

News Release - September 21, 2018

Council Hears Plan for Implementing New Law that Replaces Money Bail with Risk Assessment

At its Sept. 20–21 business meeting, the Judicial Council heard a report on how the judicial branch will help implement Senate Bill 10, recently signed legislation that will eliminate money bail for criminal defendants.

Judicial Council

Meeting information

Timeline: Judicial Branch Bail Reform

Judicial Council

Criminal Justice Reform

Feature - May 10, 2017

Plain-Language Jury Instructions Work

A recent study showed that test-jurors understood plain-language instructions better and reached a correct verdict significantly more often.

Jury Instructions Study

Plain-Language Jury Instructions

Jury Service in California

Jury Duty

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 - January 17, 2020

Report Finding: Collaborative Court and Pretrial Programs Work

At its January 17 meeting, the council received a final report on a three-year grant supporting 39 collaborative court and pretrial programs that tracked retention, recidivism, and failure to appear rates for participating defendants.

Judicial Council

Meeting information

Judicial Council

Criminal Justice Reform

Innovations

Council members receive the final report on the Recidivism Reduction Grant Program, a three-year grant supporting and evaluating 39 collaborative court and pretrial programs.

News Release - August 9, 2019

Judicial Council Funds 16 Pretrial Pilot Programs

The Judicial Council on Friday awarded millions of dollars to fund pretrial projects in 16 trial courts throughout the state.

Fact Sheet: Pretrial Pilot Program Highlights

Judicial Council Report

Archived Meeting Webcast

Criminal Justice Reform

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