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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.

Mental Health

Judicial Council

Feature - May 10, 2016

Youth Courts Helping Keep Kids in School

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.

Peer/Youth Courts Website

2016 Youth Court Summit (PDF)

California Association of Youth Courts

Video: Cheif Justice Cantil-Sakuaye Speaks at Marin YMCA on Youth Courts

Collaborative Courts

Marin

L.A. Superior Court Judge David Wesley is the president of the state's association of youth courts (CAYC). Judicial Council staff organize an annual summit for youth courts throughout the state.

Feature - May 18, 2016

Drug Courts Evolve to Repair Lives; Reduce Recidivism

Roughly 206 drug courts serve residents in 53 of California’s 58 counties. By helping people with substance abuse issues repair their lives, drug courts divert those who could otherwise cycle repeatedly through the criminal justice system.

Drug Courts

Collaborative Justice Courts

Collaborative Courts FactSheet

California Drug Court Cost Analysis Study

Collaborative Courts

Monterey

Siskiyou

Orange County Superior Court Judge Wendy Lindley (ret.) oversees the special treatment court just for combat veterans. Photo Credit: Megan McCloskey | Stars & Stripes (stripes.com)

Feature - June 9, 2017

In Teen Courts, A Second Chance

California’s 75 teen courts let youth face a jury of their peers—and steer cases away from the juvenile justice system.

Fact Sheet: Youth Courts

Peer/Youth Courts

California Association of Youth Courts

Collaborative Courts

San Bernardino

Los Angeles

Feature - July 14, 2017

California's Collaborative Justice Courts

Did you know that California was one of the first states to establish a collaborative court in the U.S.?

Superior Court of Orange County 2016 Annual Report on Collaborative Courts

Collaborative Courts Fact Sheet

Collaborative Courts

Orange

Feature - December 22, 2017

A Road to Recovery

The Superior Court of Monterey established its DUI Treatment Court in October 2015 and has graduated 24 people from the program.

Press Release: DUI Treatment Court Awarded 3rd Year Grant

Sacramento Superior Court Receives Grant Funding to Implement a Pilot DUI Treat…

DUI Court in San Joaquin County Receives Continued Funding

Superior Court of Monterey County

Feature - May 4, 2018

San Joaquin Court Transforms Lives

Thanks to the San Joaquin County's Collaborative Court program, close to 300 dedicated and determined treatment court participants have a lot to celebrate.

Superior Court of San Joaquin County

Recordnet.com: Comedian using his lifetime of challenges to inspire Collaborati…

New York Times: Life After '17 to Life'

Collaborative Courts Fact Sheet

San Joaquin

Collaborative Courts

Drug Court

Feature - September 18, 2018

“We’re building strength instead of wagging a finger.”

A Q&A with Steve Binder, a 2018 Distinguished Service Award recipient from San Diego whose innovative court model started a nationwide movement.

NBC News: Hear ye, hear ye, Homeless Court is in session

Veterans Village of San Diego Homeless Court

Stand Down 2018 serves veterans

Collaborative Courts

San Diego

Feature - October 31, 2018

San Bernardino Takes Court to Patients at Local Hospital

A hospital in San Bernardino County offers patients access to something no other hospital in the state offers: access to justice. Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in the city of Colton houses the state’s only in-hospital courtroom.

Superior Court of San Bernardino County

San Bernardino

Mental Health

Feature - November 9, 2018

Court Removes Legal Barriers to Help the Homeless

Nearly 30 years ago, the nation's first homeless court held a special session at Stand Down to help homeless veterans restore their lives. Now, the program has expanded nationwide to assist the general homeless population.

Community/Homeless Courts

San Diego Homeless Court Program

Collaborative Courts

$Dozens of homeless veterans register for Homeless Court, a special court session offered by the San Diego Superior Court. The goal of homeless court is to help homeless people resolve minor misdemeanors and infractions.$

Feature - October 4, 2019

Restorative Justice Programs Offer Veterans a New Mission

Veterans surrender to a personal mission thanks to a growing number of Veterans Courts.

Council Approves $23.5 Million in Grant Funding for Court Innovations

Court Innovation Grant

San Luis Obispo County Judge John Trice, who retired in 2017, calls establishing a local Veterans Treatment Court one of his greatest achievements.

Feature - October 10, 2019

Judicial Council Presents 2019 Awards of Distinction and Service

The Judicial Council presented the 2019 Distinguished Service Awards on Nov 14 in San Francisco. The prestigious Aranda Access to Justice Award was also presented in partnership with the California Lawyers Association and the California Judges Association.

Distinguished Service Awards

Aranda Access to Justice Award

Judge Chittick's Veterans Treatment Court