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See how new and renovated courthouses are making jury service a more comfortable experience.

SAN FRANCISCO—The Judicial Council’s Court Facilities Advisory Committee held a public meeting today to review the dire state of California’s court construction funding.

The Court Facilities Advisory Committee today voted to recommend to the Judicial Council that all 23 current judicial branch projects continue based on the general criteria of working with available funding, not incurring additional costs, or wasting funds. Projects would be grouped into four broad categories that would determine how far an individual project can proceed until adequate funding is restored.

Courthouse projects in various stages—all require funding to continue. Others are indefinitely delayed.

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.

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.

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.  

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.

The committee will also consider adjustments made to the scoring process and criteria considered.

At its Nov. 14 meeting, the council also adjusted the scoring process and criteria used to create the priority list.

A statement from California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on emergency measures being taken by California courts.

The California Supreme Court announced it has amended oral argument procedures to protect the health and safety of the public.