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News Release - November 30, 2018

Council Adopts New Rules on Appointed Counsel in Death Penalty Review Cases

The Judicial Council at its November 29–30 meeting approved changes to rules of court that govern appointed counsel in death penalty appeals and habeas corpus proceedings.

Judicial Council

Meeting information

Technology

Judicial Council

Death Penalty

With more than a thousand downloads on Google, the Monterey Superior Court's App helps court users look up cases, search calendars, and make traffic payments quickly.

ttp://jcc.granicus.com/player/clip/890?view_id=1

News Release - May 18, 2017

Chief Justice directs action on traffic, civil cases, self-represented litigants, and technology

Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye directs immediate council action on four recommendations from the Futures Commission.

Futures Commission Report

Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye

Judicial Council of California

Chief Justice's Letter to Judicial Council Internal Chairs and Administrative D…

Criminal Justice Reform

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.

News Release - October 1, 2021

Council Supports Efforts to Continue Modernizing Courts

Funding for remote video, online services, and other technology projects improves services and helps limit the impact of pandemic on court users

Judicial Council

Meeting information

Judicial Council

Judicial Council Meeting

Technology

Judicial Council members attending Oct. 1 meeting remotely - new members raise their hands to take the oath of service

Feature - April 19, 2017

Court Users Flock to Self-Help Centers

How are self-help centers being managed with shrinking resources? This newsroom feature takes a look at two very different centers sharing the same challenges.

Online Self-Help Center

Feature - January 31, 2018

Helping Court Users Help Themselves

Every year, nearly 1.2 million people come to self-help centers in California courthouses seeking guidance with civil cases such as divorces, evictions, and restraining orders. While every county court has its own self-help center, nearly a dozen also use JusticeCorps students to help serve users.

About JusticeCorps

The California Courts Self-Help Center

Alameda

Self-Help

Feature - March 28, 2022

Going Online to Settle Small Claims a Big Hit

Los Angeles County's online tool is just one of the programs in the state helping parties settle their cases without a trip to the courthouse.

remote access

Innovations

Technology

Graphic showing online dispute resolution

Feature - June 9, 2017

Courts Offer Self-Help Services Remotely

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

Feature - February 24, 2020

Innovation in a Click (or Tap)

Court of Appeal in Fresno spearheads projects to modernize and expand access to justice for Californians appealing their cases.

Court Innovation Grant

Fifth Appellate District

Technology

Ming Chin

News Release - May 17, 2019

Council Hears How Increase in Funding Helped Courts Expand Services for the Public

The Judicial Council received a report on how the state’s trial courts used additional funding included in this fiscal year’s judicial branch budget to expand hours, reopen closed locations, and invest in new technology to increase access to justice for the public.

Feature - August 30, 2017

California Supreme Court Helps to Shed Light on Legal System

Webcasts of the court’s oral arguments have been accessed more than 44,000 times since it began streaming them last year.

California Supreme Court

Oral Argument Webcasts

Technology

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.