COVID News Center:

Statewide emergency actions and updates on county court services and operations here.

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News Release - December 11, 2015

Courts Improving Access for Mentally Ill

SAN FRANCISCO— A task force appointed three years ago by Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye to improve case processing and outcomes for court users with mental illness was sunsetted by the Judicial Council with an assurance that the council will carry on its work with the help of other advisory committees.

Judicial Council

News Release - March 26, 2020

Judicial Council to Hold Special Meeting Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

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.

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Judicial Council

Meeting information

Judicial Council

News Release - March 28, 2020

Judicial Council Approves Temporary Emergency Measures to Aid Courts During COVID-19 Pandemic

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.

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Judicial Council

Judicial Council

News Release - April 17, 2020

Judicial Council Mandates Electronic Service of Documents in Most Civil Cases

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.

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Judicial Council

Temporary Emergency Rules

Judicial Council

News Release - April 20, 2020

Council Makes It Easier for Parties to Request Changes to Support Orders Amid Pandemic

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

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Judicial Council

Temporary Emergency Rules

Judicial Council

News Release - May 12, 2020

Judicial Council Launches Working Group to Aid Courts in Pandemic Recovery

The Judicial Council of California has launched the Pandemic Continuity of Operations Working Group, which will quickly collect best practices and publish a framework to help the state's 58 superior courts restore interrupted services in the wake of the...

Judicial Council

Judicial Council Administrative Director Martin Hoshino

News Release - May 29, 2020

Judicial Council Revises Emergency Rule on Statutes of Limitations in Civil Cases

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”.

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Judicial Council

Temporary Emergency Rules

Judicial Council

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

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.

News Release - June 10, 2020

Chief Justice Suspends Vote on Eviction, Foreclosure Emergency Rules

The Judicial Council of California will not vote today on whether to end two emergency rules governing evictions and judicial foreclosures, after Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye announced she suspended the vote.

Judicial Council

News Release - June 10, 2020

Judicial Council, Chief Justice End Some Emergency Measures as California and Courts Expand Reopening

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.

Judicial Council

News Release - August 13, 2020

Temporary Emergency Rules on Evictions, Foreclosures Set to End Sept. 1

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

Judicial Council

Blue on white seal of the judicial council

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