The program is designed to give legislators a personal understanding of the volume, complexity, and variety of daily duties and responsibilities of a judge, as well as an understanding of the conditions of the court. This experience is intended to impress upon legislators the significant role played by the courts and the justice system, their impact on the daily lives of Californians, and the need for legislative support.

Liaison Program
Related to its advocacy function, the liaison program is the Office of Governmental Affairs' ongoing effort to maintain contact and work cooperatively with groups involved in the judicial system, including the California Judges Association (CJA), the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA), the State Bar, plaintiffs' and defense bars, and others. Where our positions on issues concur, we form alliances to enhance our advocacy efforts. When our positions on particular issues differ, we negotiate to reach agreement whenever possible. Working with other groups toward achieving common goals has been a longstanding historical component of OGA's work.

Statewide Bench/Bar Coalition
In 1993, under the leadership of the California Association of Local Bars (CALB), a statewide Bench/Bar Coalition (BBC), (Membership Application) was established to enhance communication and coordinate activities between the judicial community and the state, local, and specialty bars on issues of common interest, particularly in the legislative arena. In addition to conference calls and in-person meetings, the BBC meets with legislators at the State Capitol during "Day in Sacramento" activities.

Bench-Bar Coalition event information and meeting materials can be accessed by clicking on the desired item(s) posted below:

Date	Event/Location	Agenda, Meeting Materials
Monday, July 29, 2013 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.	BBC Quarterly Membership Conference Call
Monday, April 15, 2013 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.	BBC Quarterly Membership Conference Call	Agenda
Monday, January 28, 2013 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.	BBC Quarterly Membership Conference Call	Agenda
Monday, October 15, 2012, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.	BBC Quarterly Membership Conference Call	Agenda
Friday, October 12, 2012, 8:00 – 10:30 a.m.	BBC Fall 2012 Membership Meeting 2012 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California, Monterey, California	Agenda

For more information regarding the Bench-Bar Coalition, please contact the Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts, Office of Governmental Affairs at 916-323-3121.

California Courts Association-Legislative Committee
During the legislative session, the California Courts Association-Legislative Committee (CCA-LC) meets with the staff of the Judicial Council's Office of Governmental Affairs (OGA) to share information and develop positions on legislation.

CCA-LC also works with OGA advocates to produce the annual Legislative Summary which provides information on legislation impacting the courts to court administrators and staff. For more information about the annual Legislative Summary, contact OGA at (916) 323-3121.

Judicial Administration Fellowship Program
The Office of Governmental Affairs co-directs the Judicial Administration Fellowship Program (JAFP) which is a partnership between the Judicial Council and the Center for California Studies Capital Fellows Program.