Please visit the  
California courts website  
to view live meeting on  
July 17, 2026.  
Judicial Council of California  
Meeting Agenda  
Judicial Council  
Meeting materials  
are available through  
the hyperlinks in  
this document.  
Open to the Public Unless Indicated as Closed  
(Cal. Rules of Court, rule 10.6(a))  
Requests for ADA accommodation should be directed to  
JCCAccessCoordinator@jud.ca.gov  
Friday, July 17, 2026  
10:00 AM  
San Francisco  
CLOSED SESSION (RULE 10.6(b))—PLANNING, PERSONNEL, AND  
DISCUSSION PROTECTED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE  
Session: 9:15-9:45 a.m.  
OPEN SESSION (RULE 10.6(a))—MEETING AGENDA  
A link to the live videostream will be available in the Meeting Information Center at the start of the  
open session. If the closed session adjourns late, the start time of the open session may be delayed.  
Open Session Begins: 10:00 a.m.  
Call to Order  
10 minutes  
Swearing in of New Judicial Council Members  
The Chief Justice will administer the oath of office to newly appointed council members.  
10 minutes  
Public Comment  
10 minutes  
The Judicial Council welcomes public comment on general matters of judicial administration or specific  
agenda items. Written comments are encouraged in advance of the meeting for specific agenda items so  
council members can consider them prior to the council meeting.  
For more information, visit the Attendance and Public Comment Procedures webpage.  
Submit advance requests to speak and written comments for this meeting by 12:00 p.m. on Thursday,  
July 16, by email to:  
judicialcouncil@jud.ca.gov  
Chief Justice’s Report  
15 minutes  
Administrative Director’s Report  
26-003  
Administrative Director’s Report  
15 minutes  
CONSENT AGENDA  
5 minutes  
A council member may request an item be moved from the Consent Agenda to the Discussion Agenda.  
Please notify Josely Yangco-Fronda at 415-865-7626 at least 48 hours before the meeting.  
26-008  
26-094  
Minutes of April 24, 2026, Judicial Council Meeting  
Allocations and Reimbursements to Trial Courts | Funding for  
Court Reporters in Family Law and Civil Law Case Types for  
Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
Senate Bill 170 (Stats. 2021, ch. 240), which amended the Budget Act of 2021,  
provided $30 million in ongoing General Fund support for trial courts to increase the  
number of court reporters in family law and civil cases. The budget language in the  
Budget Act of 2022 and subsequent years expanded the allowable uses for this  
funding. However, these changes do not affect how the funds are distributed to courts  
under the council-approved allocation methodology. The Trial Court Budget  
Advisory Committee recommends approving the allocation of the ongoing $30 million  
to all trial courts, as specified, for fiscal year 2026-27.  
26-090  
Allocations and Reimbursements to Trial Courts | Pretrial Release  
Funding and Allocation Methodology (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends approving the fiscal year  
2026-27 pretrial release funding of $48.95 million General Fund for the trial courts  
and directing Judicial Council staff to conduct a midyear survey and recommend a  
methodology for reallocating funding to trial courts based on demonstrated need, if  
available. Funding through the pretrial release program provides for the operation of  
ongoing court programs and practices that promote the safe, efficient, fair, and timely  
pretrial release of individuals booked into jail.  
26-099  
Child Support | Assembly Bill 1058 Child Support Commissioner  
and Family Law Facilitator Program Funding for Fiscal Year  
2026-27 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial Council  
approve the allocation of funding for the Assembly Bill 1058 Child Support  
Commissioner and Family Law Facilitator Program (AB 1058 Program) for fiscal  
year 2026-27. The funds are provided through a cooperative agreement between the  
California Department of Child Support Services and the Judicial Council. The  
agreement requires the council to annually approve the AB 1058 Program funding  
allocations.  
26-101  
Collaborative Justice | Fiscal Year 2026-27 Substance Abuse  
Focus Grant and Dependency Drug Court Augmentation Grant  
Funding (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Collaborative Justice Courts Advisory Committee recommends that the Judicial  
Council allocate the Collaborative Justice Courts Substance Abuse Focus Grant  
(SAFG) Program’s fiscal year 2026-27 funds to the trial courts using the  
population-based methodology approved in September 2023. The Budget Act of  
2026 allocated $1.16 million for the SAFG Program to the superior courts to  
maintain, expand, or enhance collaborative courts. A total of $75,000 in federal  
Court Improvement Program funds is also available in fiscal year 2026-27 to fund  
dependency drug courts.  
26-105  
Court Facilities | Naming Request for New Mendocino Courthouse  
in Ukiah (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Court Facilities Advisory Committee recommends approval of the Superior  
Court of Mendocino County’s request to name the new main courthouse in the city of  
Ukiah. This approval would establish the facility’s official name. Construction of the  
courthouse began in winter 2025 and will conclude in summer 2027.  
26-092  
Court Facilities | Naming Request for New Sixth Appellate District  
Courthouse in Sunnyvale (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Court Facilities Advisory Committee recommends approval of the Sixth  
Appellate District’s request to name the new Court of Appeal courthouse in the city  
of Sunnyvale. This approval would establish the facility’s official name in advance of  
construction, which is scheduled to begin in summer 2026 and conclude in fall 2028.  
26-102  
Judicial Branch Technology | Jury Management System Grant  
Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Judicial Council Technology Committee recommends approving proposed  
allocations totaling $600,000 for fiscal year 2026-27 for the Jury Management  
System Grant Program. The goal of the program is to improve the juror experience  
and reduce court resource needs by enhancing access to information. In this cycle, 15  
trial courts submitted grant applications for a total of 17 projects.  
26-052  
Juvenile Law | Fiscal Year 2026-27 Funding Allocations for Court  
Appointed Special Advocate Local Assistance (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The fiscal year 2026-27 judicial branch budget includes $2.7 million for Judicial  
Council Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) grants. The Family and Juvenile  
Law Advisory Committee recommends the Judicial Council allocate $2.7 million to  
fund 45 CASA programs serving 53 counties, using the amended funding  
methodology approved on July 12, 2024.  
26-081  
Language Access Plan | Allocations for Signage and Technology  
Grant Program, Cycle 8, Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness and the Information  
Technology Advisory Committee recommend approving proposed grant awards for  
the Language Access Signage and Technology Grant Program of $2.35 million to  
improve services and expand language access for court users. For Cycle 8 (fiscal  
year 2026-27), 24 courts applied for and will be awarded grants for signage and  
technology projects.  
26-100  
Rules and Forms | Adjustment to Deposit Account Exemption  
From Enforcement of Judgment (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Code of Civil Procedure requires the dollar amount of the deposit account  
exemption from enforcement of judgment to be adjusted annually in July to reflect  
increases in the minimum basic standard of care for a family of four. Judicial Council  
staff recommend revising the form that lists the dollar amounts of exemptions from  
enforcement of judgment to reflect the updated figure for deposit accounts.  
26-095  
Rules and Forms | Jury Instructions: Civil Jury Instructions  
(Release 49) (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Advisory Committee on Civil Jury Instructions recommends approval of revised  
civil jury instructions and verdict forms prepared by the committee. Among other  
things, these changes bring the instructions up to date with developments in the law  
over the previous six months. Upon Judicial Council approval, the instructions will be  
published in the midyear supplement to the official 2026 edition of the Judicial  
Council of California Civil Jury Instructions.  
26-033  
Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel Act | Selection of Shriver Projects  
(Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Judicial Council is asked to approve funding recommendations under the Sargent  
Shriver Civil Counsel Act (Assem. Bill 590; Stats. 2009, ch. 457) to support projects  
providing legal representation and improved court services to low-income parties on  
critical legal issues affecting basic human needs. These projects address housing,  
domestic violence, civil harassment, probate conservatorships, guardianships, elder  
abuse, and child custody matters. Recommendations are submitted by the Shriver  
Civil Counsel Act Implementation Committee for the upcoming three-year grant  
cycle.  
26-109  
Trial Court Budget | Fiscal Year 2026-27 Allocation of Community  
Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Act Funding  
(Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends allocating $32.9 million to  
trial courts for fiscal year 2026-27 to support Community Assistance, Recovery, and  
Empowerment Act operations. The amount included in the 2026 Budget Act may be  
adjusted based on final appropriations. The Judicial Branch Budget Committee  
approved this recommendation for consideration by the Judicial Council.  
26-051  
Trial Court Budget | Fiscal Year 2026-27 Allocation of  
Court-Appointed Juvenile Dependency Counsel Funding  
(Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Judicial Council approves the allocation of court-appointed dependency counsel  
funding on an annual basis. The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends  
allocation of the $186.7 million appropriation for court-appointed juvenile  
dependency counsel for fiscal year 2026-27. Allocations are subject to necessary  
technical adjustments and contingent upon funding included in the final enacted budget  
for fiscal year 2026-27.  
26-039  
Trial Court Budget | State Trial Court Improvement and  
Modernization Fund Allocations for Fiscal Year 2026-27  
(Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee recommends approving allocations  
totaling $47.8 million for fiscal year 2026-27 from the State Trial Court Improvement  
and Modernization Fund. The allocations to various Judicial Council offices will  
provide funding to support statewide trial court programs, technology initiatives,  
operational improvements, and modernization efforts. With the proposed allocations,  
the State Trial Court Improvement and Modernization Fund is projected to end fiscal  
year 2026-27 with a fund balance of $38.7 million, of which approximately $36.6  
million is unrestricted.  
DISCUSSION AGENDA  
26-041  
Trial Court Budget | Allocations for Trial Court Operations for  
Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
Government Code section 68502.5(c)(2)(A) requires the Judicial Council to issue  
preliminary allocations for trial court operations in July and finalize those allocations in  
January of each fiscal year. In accordance with this requirement, the Trial Court  
Budget Advisory Committee recommends allocating $3.2 billion to the trial courts for  
fiscal year 2026-27. This total includes $3.1 billion from the Trial Court Trust Fund  
and $117.8 million from the General Fund. The committee also recommends approval  
of the Workload Formula policy calculation of $2.7 billion, which is based on  
methodologies previously approved by the Judicial Council. Based on current revenue  
projections and estimated savings from fiscal year 2025-26 appropriations, the Trial  
Court Trust Fund is projected to end fiscal year 2026-27 with a fund balance of  
$335.5 million. Approximately $248 million of this amount will be unrestricted and  
available to support future funding needs.  
Speakers:  
Hon. Jonathan B. Conklin (Ret.), Chair, Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee  
Mr. Zlatko Theodorovic, Budget Services  
10 minutes  
26-104  
Court Facilities | Judicial Branch Five-Year Infrastructure Plan  
and Capital-Outlay Budget Change Proposals for Fiscal Year  
2027-28 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The Court Facilities Advisory Committee recommends approval of the Judicial  
Branch Five- Year Infrastructure Plan for Fiscal Year 2027-28 and five  
capital-outlay budget change proposals for fiscal year 2027-28 for submission to the  
state Department of Finance. The five-year plan forms the basis for capital project  
funding requests for the upcoming and outlying fiscal years, and the budget change  
proposals reflect funding requested for the phases of the projects in year 1 (fiscal year  
2027-28) of the plan.  
Speakers:  
Hon. Brad R. Hill, Chair, Court Facilities Advisory Committee  
Hon. Eric J. Wersching, Vice-Chair, Court Facilities Advisory Committee  
Mr. Jagan Singh, Facilities Services  
Mr. Chris Magnusson, Facilities Services  
15 minutes  
26-107  
Judicial Branch Technology | IT Modernization Funding, Fiscal  
Year 2026-27 (Action Required)  
Summary:  
The fiscal year 2026-27 judicial branch budget includes approximately $12.5 million  
IT Modernization local court grant funding. The Technology Committee proposes the  
enclosed grant funding allocations following an application and review process in  
which projects were evaluated and--for the first time--ranked to inform the funding  
recommendations. This updated approach supports funding the most impactful  
projects that align with the judicial branch’s technology goals and funding priorities.  
Speakers:  
Hon. Maria D. Hernandez, Chair, Judicial Council Technology Committee  
Mr. David Slayton, Vice-Chair, Judicial Council Technology Committee  
20 minutes  
26-040  
Judicial Branch Budget | Fiscal Year 2027-28 Budget Change  
Proposals for Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, Superior Courts,  
Habeas Corpus Resource Center, Judicial Branch Facilities  
Program, and Judicial Council  
(Action Required)  
Summary:  
To promote responsible and sustainable investment in the judicial branch’s core  
programs and services--in anticipation of the new administration taking office in  
January 2027 and in recognition of the state’s projected multiyear deficit--the Judicial  
Branch Budget Committee recommends submitting 24 budget change proposals,  
including one proposal deferred for submission in the spring, to the Department of  
Finance for consideration in the fiscal year 2027-28 Governor’s Budget.  
Speakers:  
Hon. Ann C. Moorman, Chair, Judicial Branch Budget Committee  
Mr. Zlatko Theodorovic, Budget Services  
15 minutes  
INFORMATION AGENDA (NO ACTION REQUIRED)  
26-097  
Child Support | Midyear Funding Reallocation for Fiscal Year  
2025-26  
Summary:  
This report presents the midyear reallocation of funding for the Child Support  
Commissioner and Family Law Facilitator Program (AB 1058 Program) for fiscal  
year 2025-26. The Judicial Council approved the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory  
Committee’s recommendation to delegate authority, effective January 17, 2020, to  
the Administrative Director to implement annual midyear reallocations of AB 1058  
Program funds using the council-approved methodology for reallocation. This report  
describes the annual midyear reallocation for the current fiscal year.  
26-103  
Judicial Branch Technology | Technology Governance and  
Funding Model  
Summary:  
The Judicial Council Technology Committee is updating the Judicial Branch  
Technology Governance and Funding Model, which has remained unchanged since  
its adoption in 2014. This model provides the foundation for the branch’s Strategic  
Plan for Technology and Tactical Plan for Technology and ensures a  
comprehensive, cohesive approach to branchwide technology strategy. Because  
technology has advanced significantly over the past decade and the needs of the  
courts, court users, and the judicial branch have evolved in parallel, updating the  
governance and funding model is essential to address these changes and position the  
branch for continued progress. The purpose of this report is to inform the council that  
while this work is underway, the existing Strategic Plan for Technology and  
Tactical Plan for Technology will remain in effect and will not be revised until an  
updated governance and funding model is approved by the Judicial Council.  
26-110  
Judicial Council Update | Trial Court Facility Modifications Report  
for Quarter 3 of Fiscal Year 2025-26  
Summary:  
This informational report to the Judicial Council outlines the allocations of facility  
modification funding made to improve trial court facilities in the third quarter (January  
through March) of fiscal year 2025-26. To determine allocations, the Trial Court  
Facility Modification Advisory Committee reviews and approves facility modification  
requests from across the state in accordance with the council’s Trial Court Facility  
Modifications Policy.  
26-108  
Report to the Legislature | Court Realignment Data  
(Calendar Year 2025)  
Summary:  
Penal Code section 13155 requires Judicial Council staff, commencing January 1,  
2013, to collect information from trial courts regarding the implementation of the 2011  
Criminal Justice Realignment legislation and make the data available annually to the  
California Department of Finance, Board of State and Community Corrections, and  
Joint Legislative Budget Committee by September 1. Court Realignment Data  
(Calendar Year 2025), included as Attachment A to this report, includes statistics  
from January 1 through December 31, 2025, for each county regarding the  
dispositions of felonies at sentencing and petitions to revoke probation, mandatory  
supervision, postrelease community supervision, and parole.  
26-106  
Report to the Legislature | Electronic Recording Equipment  
Summary:  
Under Government Code section 69958, the Judicial Council is required to report to  
the Legislature semiannually on the purchase and lease of any electronic recording  
equipment that will be used to record superior court proceedings. For the reporting  
period of July 1 through December 31, 2025, two superior courts reported a  
combined total of $26,251 for the purchase or lease of electronic recording  
equipment or related items. In May 2026, Judicial Council staff submitted the Report  
of Electronic Recording Equipment Purchased or Leased by Superior Courts (July 1  
through December 31, 2025) to the Legislature.  
26-096  
Report to the Legislature | Review of the Statewide Uniform Child  
Support Guideline 2025  
Summary:  
Under Family Code section 4054 and federal regulations (45 C.F.R. § 302.56), the  
Judicial Council must review the statewide uniform child support guideline every four  
years and submit its findings and recommendations. The 2025 review has been  
completed and transmitted as required. This report summarizes the key findings of  
that review, including how the guideline is applied and its impact on children and  
families across California.  
26-093  
Report to the Legislature | Trial Court Interpreters Program  
Expenditure Report for Fiscal Year 2024-25  
Summary:  
On June 30, 2026, Judicial Council staff submitted the annual report on trial court  
interpreter expenditures to the Legislature and Department of Finance. This report is  
required by the Budget Act of 2024 (Assem. Bill 107; Stats. 2024, ch. 22).  
26-042  
Trial Courts | Quarterly Investment Report for Third Quarter  
Fiscal Year 2025-26  
Summary:  
This quarterly investment report covers the period from January 1 through March 31,  
2026, and provides the financial results for the funds invested by the Judicial Council  
on behalf of the trial courts as part of the judicial branch treasury program. The report  
is submitted under the Resolutions Regarding Investment Activities for the Trial  
Courts, approved by the Judicial Council on February 27, 2004.  
Judicial Council Internal Committee Reports  
26-111  
Written Reports  
Appointment Orders  
26-112  
Appointment Orders since the last business meeting.  
Adjournment