Title
Title
Judicial Branch Administration | Judicial Branch Strategic Plan Amendments (Action Required)
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Summary
Summary
The Strategic Plan for California’s Judicial Branch sets forth the seven principal goals for guiding and improving the statewide administration of justice. Recent tragedies and events have reenergized racial and social justice reform movements and motivated action across government and in communities to affirm the core values of democracy and ensure fair and equitable treatment for all. As the judicial branch continues working to advance access, fairness, and diversity in the justice system, these events and the related public discourse on the importance of diversity (representation and responsiveness to individual and group differences) and inclusion (leveraging diversity to foster an environment of respect and engagement) have prompted reflection on how these fundamental values are articulated in the branch’s strategic plan.
The Judicial Council has a timely opportunity to elevate and further define the strategic plan’s focus on access, fairness, and diversity by adding specific language on inclusion to Goal I and emphasizing inclusion within the context of other goals in the plan. The chairs of the Judicial Council’s internal committees propose several amendments with clarifying language to make explicit the branch’s commitment to leveraging diversity to foster an inclusive court system in which all individuals are--and feel--respected and engaged, and their contributions are valued.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
The Judicial Council’s internal committee chairs recommend the Judicial Council, effective December 2, 2022, make the following changes to the Strategic Plan for California’s Judicial Branch:
1. Approve the addition of the term “inclusion” to the overarching articulation of Goal I, Access, Fairness, and Diversity, and add specific additional references to inclusion within the introductory language to the goal and related recommended best practices;
2. Approve the addition of language to emphasize inclusion within the introductory statements and related recommended best practices to Goal IV, Quality of Justice and Service to the Public, and Goal V, Education for Branchwide Professional Excellence; and
3. Approve other clarifying language amendments.
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Speakers
Speakers
Hon. Marsha G. Slough, Chair, Executive and Planning Committee
Hon. Kevin C. Brazile, Cochair, Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness
Hon. Victor A. Rodriguez, Cochair, Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness