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Find out who replaces outdated court facilities in California, what new courthouses are on the way, and how future projects are being prioritized.

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.  

As Californians do more business on mobile devices, the state’s courts are joining in on the trend, from texting court payments to receiving jury service updates.

The Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles is undergoing a retrofit of its lighting fixtures that will recover installation costs in less than two years and save taxpayers more than $6 million over the next 10 years in energy savings.

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

Since 2002, the judicial branch has overseen the addition of 29 new safe and accessible court facilities around the state, improving access to justice for millions of Californians.

Demolition work to prepare the site for a new Santa Barbara Criminal Courthouse is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks. Perimeter fencing and other preparations for demolition are set to begin Sept. 24.

How are self-help centers being managed with shrinking resources? This newsroom feature takes a look at two very different centers sharing the same challenges.

In 2016, the Judicial Council continued focusing on efforts to better stabilize branch funding, improve branch governance, and to address concerns about fairness raised by the public, our sister branches of government, and stakeholders throughout the state.

Courthouse projects in various stages—all require funding to continue. Others are indefinitely delayed.

At its meeting this week, a council advisory committee will receive a draft report with an updated priority list for new courthouse construction projects statewide.

At its Nov. 14 meeting, the council also adjusted the scoring process and criteria used to create the priority list.