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Courts have launched new ways to provide safe access to justice—proceedings streamed live online, remote hearings for litigants, live chat help, remote adoptions & more.

Since the COVID-19 state of emergency issued in mid-March, courts around the state have been holding more court hearings remotely. Now courts are looking for ways to expand remote technology to support community engagement. 

Hundreds of new laws went into effect Jan. 1, including many that will protect the public and improve access to justice for all Californians.

Audio and video hearings now available in 250 criminal courtrooms.

May 9-13 is Juror Appreciation Week, but courts are making the jury system better all year with check-in kiosks, text reminders, and web-based services.

Youth court leaders, judges, youth court staff, volunteers, education and youth-focused organizations, and community service leaders will gather in Santa Cruz this June to exchange information on best practices for youth courts. 

The Supreme Court of California will begin live webcasting of its early-May three-day oral argument calendar session in San Francisco, beginning May 3. The decision to webcast the court's oral argument calendar sessions was announced by Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye in her 2016 State of the Judiciary Address to a joint session of the California Legislature in March.

The Judicial Council has revised rules of court and forms to help implement a statute that expands the use of expedited jury trials in California, effective July 1.

The Commission on the Future of California's Courts has sent an interim report to Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye proposing a method to reallocate vacant judgeships to courts with the greatest workload needs.  

California superior courts received more than 200,000 petitions for resentencing or applications for reclassification during the first 13 months after voters approved Proposition 47.

"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.