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

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News Release - May 13, 2022

Chief Justice Issues Statement on Governor's May Budget Revise

Revised budget proposal includes funding for a Judicial Council unit to provide training, technical assistance, and legal support to California’s trial courts on environmental and climate change issues.

Judicial Council

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.

News Release - November 19, 2021

Council Receives Strategies for Helping Court Users at Risk of Becoming Homeless

Also approved revision to standard promoting an environment free of bias in court proceedings and declared November to be Court Adoption and Permanency Month

Judicial Council

Meeting information

Judicial Council

Judicial Council Meeting

Chief Justice

News Release - January 22, 2021

Judicial Council Allocates $25 Million to Address Case Delays Due to COVID-19

Council also approves expansion of an online pilot program enabling low-income litigants to request reductions in traffic infraction fines and fees remotely

Judicial Council

Meeting information

Judicial Council

Judicial Council Meeting

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

Covid-19

event - October 7, 2020

Supreme Court Oral Arguments for October 7, 2020

Counsel will appear remotely and courtroom seating for the press will be strictly limited to achieve appropriate distancing. The public will continue to have access to argument via live-streaming.

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.

Covid-19

Judicial Council

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.

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.

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”.

Judicial Council

Temporary Emergency Rules

Judicial Council

Covid-19

Feature - May 19, 2020

Supreme Court Rolls Out Oral Argument by Videoconference

Since April, the state Supreme Court rolled a large screen television into its San Francisco courtroom to conduct oral arguments.

Oral Arguments

Covid-19

Technology

Social distancing in the Supreme Court of California's courtroom in San Francisco. May 5, 2020

News Release - May 15, 2020

Judicial Council Hears Report on State Budget Proposal’s Impact to Judicial Branch

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.