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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.

The measures aim to continue essential court services while guarding the health and safety of the public, court employees, attorneys, litigants, judicial officers, law enforcement, and staff and inmates in detention facilities.

The Judicial Council voted to end the COVID-19 emergency bail schedule, as California begins a phased re-opening and courts restore services shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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”.

California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on Monday issued a statewide order suspending all jury trials in California's superior courts for 60 days and allowing courts to immediately adopt new rules to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The council's latest temporary emergency rule requires attorneys to electronically serve and receive notices and documents in all general civil actions and family and probate proceedings when requested to do so.

Four emergency measures will be rescinded effective April 30, governing extensions of time for preliminary hearings and civil trials, the use of technology, and fast-tracking local court rules.

Judges now have discretion to backdate modification requests for child, spousal, partner, or family support orders during the state of emergency.

The Judicial Council voted to end two temporary emergency rules governing evictions and judicial foreclosures, to stay in effect through midnight Sept. 1.

In her role as chair of the Judicial Council of California, Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye has cancelled the Judicial Council meeting scheduled for March 24, citing the need for Judicial Council members to attend to essential work in their trial and appellate courts.

"We in the judicial branch will do our best to serve the public in these unprecedented times of a global pandemic and recession," Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye said.

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.