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Approves new court rules and forms, will collect implementation data, and provide training and technical assistance for judges and court staff

On Jan. 1, hundreds of new laws go into effect, including many that will protect the public and improve access to justice for all Californians. Here are a few worth noting.

Court self-help centers aim to help Californians without legal representation navigate the court system.

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

The budget cuts $200 million from the state court system, though $150 million could be restored if the federal government sends additional aid by the fall.

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.

Self-represented litigants who seek help with appealing their case now have access to a new online resource center.

Statewide investment in self-help services has helped Alameda Superior Court open a second center.

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.  

Facing growing numbers of civil and family law litigants representing themselves, courts are expanding services offered through “self-help” centers.

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.

Multilingual videos on Section 8 Tenant Rights were recently added to the California Courts Online Self-Help Center in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Korean.