NewsLinks is a collection of recent news items relating primarily to the California judicial branch. NewsLinks does not verify nor endorse the accuracy or fairness of the news items, and the views expressed in opinions, editorials, and commentaries are those of the writers only.

May 21	Beaumont High awarded for civic engagement Record Gazette Mock elections, mock trials, and peer mediation has been anything but mockery for Beaumont High School’s students. Related: Your Constitution: The Power of Democracy
May 21	Spotlight on OC judge after former student files agency claim Daily Journal (Subscription required) A former law school student has filed a million-dollar claim alleging an Orange County Superior Court judge pressured her into sexual relations.
May 21	California Senate acts to clarify legality of medical cannabis Los Angeles Times Medical marijuana dispensaries that abide by security rules in California would not be subject to local or state prosecution for illegal sales under a measure approved Monday by the state Senate. Related: KPCC, Sacramento Bee, Press Enterprise
May 21	The broken economics of legal education Daily Journal (Subscription required) Annual tuition at over a dozen law schools now exceeds $50,000 (Columbia topping the list at $55,000), with many other law schools poised to follow. Adding another $15,000 to $20,000 in annual living expenses, the three year out-of-pocket cost of obtaining a law degree for students without substantial scholarships is around or above $200,000 at dozens of law schools today.
May 21	Judicial Profile: Brian C. Walsh Daily Journal (Subscription required) A trial judge in Santa Clara County for 12 years before being selected as the county's presiding judge, Walsh has taken up the unenviable job of administering the fourth largest county court system in California as it and other courts throughout the state grapple with deep budget cuts. Related: Superior Court of Santa Clara County
May 20	For the Word on the Street, Courts Call Up an Online Witness New York Times The wheels of justice move slowly sometimes, but not, apparently, as slowly as Webster’s New World Dictionary.
May 20	L.A. City Council Criticizes Court Consolidation Plan Met News The Los Angeles City Council Friday passed a resolution urging the Los Angeles Superior Court to solicit public input and reconsider the consolidation of cases at a small number of court “hubs” as a solution to its budget troubles. Related: Los Angeles Court Consolidation Plan
May 20	Judicial Profile: Pamela A. Davis Daily Journal (Subscription required) Pamela A. Davis' position as a traffic court commissioner on the Los Angeles Superior Court might not be most bench officers' first choice of assignments, but you would not know it by talking to Davis. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County
May 19	Voters to decide fate of pot shops Associated Press Los Angeles politicians have struggled for more than five years to regulate medical marijuana. Related: The Daily Breeze
May 19	Harbison West Elementary Student Wins Honors in National Contest Irmo-Seven Oaks Patch A Lexington-Richland School District Five second grader has earned honors in a nationwide First Amendment cartoon competition. Related: News Release
May 18	California analyst's revenue projection higher than Jerry Brown's The Sacramento Bee California will collect more than $3 billion in additional state revenue, the state's nonpartisan legislative analyst said Friday, setting the stage for a Capitol fight among Democrats over spending.
May 18	Opinion: Flawed bill regarding noncitizen jurors would cripple California courts The Reporter Jury duty for noncitizens might be the sliced bread of judicial reform, but not if Assembly Bill 1401 becomes law.
May 18	Court backs Redding paper in privacy suit The Sacramento Bee California newspapers have a legal right to publish the names of children who are subjected to abuse if a name is newsworthy, a Sacramento appellate court ruled Friday.
May 17	State budget picture brightens San Diego Union Tribune $3 billion more revenue might make it hard for Brown to hold the line on spending. Related: Associated Press
May 17	Capital Accounts: Judges Want Watchdog On Shorter Leash The Recorder (Subscription required) The Commission on Judicial Performance publicly released a set of amended disciplinary rules for jurists on May 16.
May 17	California Chief Justice presents award to Bakersfield's Golden Valley High School 23ABC News Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, the 28th Chief Justice of California, was at Golden Valley High for which she presented the school with a Civic Learning Award of Excellence. Related: Your Constitution: The Power of Democracy, Bakersfield Now
May 17	Court rules for trustee who accidentally sold home for less than a tenth of intended price Daily Journal (Subscription required) The state Supreme Court gave a reprieve Thursday to a trustee whose mistake led to a foreclosed home being sold at auction for less than a tenth of the intended price. Related: The Recorder
May 17	Sacramento County court has express checkout to finalize divorces Sacramento Bee Twelve times over five years, Yazmin Cruz and Marcio Hernandez went to court to try to make their uncontested divorce happen. Related: Superior Court of Sacramento County
May 17	CJP Adopts Rules Amendments Opposed by CJA Met News The Commission on Judicial Performance yesterday released amendments to its rules of procedure, including two proposals that were opposed by the California Judges Association. Related: Daily Journal
May 17	State Bar may try to raise dues to reimburse clients cheated by their lawyers Daily Journal (Subscription required) Lawyers may soon have to pay $40 more in annual State Bar dues thanks to their unscrupulous colleagues.
May 17	Moreno Says He Expects to Hear Soon on Ambassadorship Met News Retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos Moreno said yesterday he expects to hear shortly—perhaps in the next two weeks—whether he will be nominated by President Obama as the next U.S. ambassador to Belize. Related: Justice Carlos R. Moreno (Ret)
May 16	Subcontractors to bid on work for new downtown Central Courthouse San Diego Daily Transcript (Subscription required) Friday is the deadline for bidder prequalification for the new downtown San Diego Central Courthouse, a 22-story, 71-courtroom endeavor that is the state’s largest courthouse construction project. Related: New San Diego Central Courthouse
May 16	Assemblyman, local mayors working to restore funding to state's court system San Bernardino Sun A group of local officials are spearheading an effort to re-staff courts and provide more judiciary funds to what they call a starving system.
May 16	California budget revision leaves court funding untouched Sacramento Business Journal California Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed May budget revision puts no new money into the judicial branch.
May 16	PolitiCal: Jerry Brown promises prison legislation Los Angeles Times California Gov. Jerry Brown's prison policy is forcing a split personality with federal courts.
May 16	Editorial: A return to the 'era of limits' in California Los Angeles Times  In a reminder of the boom years of the late 1990s, California's fiscal picture brightened in the first few months of 2013, leaving the state unexpectedly flush with cash. Related: Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times
May 16	Appellate court again limits lawyers' ability to avoid fiduciary duty suits Daily Journal (Subscription required) The 5th District Court of Appeal, in keeping with an emerging trend among California appellate courts, ruled Wednesday that lawyers can't avoid lawsuits. Related: Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District
May 16	Judicial Profile: Owen Lee Kwong Daily Journal (Subscription required) In 2004, Owen Lee Kwong assumed the reins of a thicket of sexual-abuse cases against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County
May 15	Dublin Courthouse Project Delayed by State Funding Crimp Around Dublin Blog Alameda County officials had hoped to complete a full service courthouse in Dublin, CA by Summer 2014. Unfortunately, due to a delay in funding from the State of California, the project’s completion date may be pushed out for another year or two. Related: New Alameda East County Hall of Justice
May 15	Fullerton police officer loses appeal, faces trial Associated Press The California Supreme Court has declined the appeal of a former Fullerton police officer, which means he'll face trial in the death of a homeless man.
May 15	State Courts Get Shut Out in May Revise of Governor’s Budget Met News Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday proposed a $96.4 billion spending plan for the coming fiscal year, funneling more money to K-12 schools but giving no funds to courts beyond those he proposed in January. Related: InFocus: Budget Crisis in the Judicial Branch
May 15	Governor's budget offers no reprieve to courts, eases burden on county jails Daily Journal (Subscription required) Having hoped for an increased share of the state's general fund, the state's courts were disappointed to learn Tuesday that Gov. Jerry Brown's revised budget proposal left the judicial branch with the same level of funding as his January proposal.
May 15	Budget Woes Mean Big Delays For Small Claims Courts NPR Across the country, cash-strapped state and local governments are not just cutting services — they're also cutting access to courts.
May 15	Committee Recommends Carter as Top Court Executive Met News The Los Angeles Superior Court Executive Committee has unanimously recommended that the Riverside Superior Court’s top executive be appointed to the same position here. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County
May 15	Laney ‘courts’ certified interpreters Laney Tower Online Court-certified interpreters are making a difference in today’s justice system.
May 15	Judicial Profile: Laura F. Priver Daily Journal (Subscription required) Superior Court Judge Laura F. Priver has a message for prospective jurors: Please, no tweeting. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County
May 14	Brown Offers No New Money for Courts The Recorder Governor Jerry Brown on Tuesday unveiled a revised spending plan that contains no additional money for California's courts.
May 14	Royal High School earns praise for new Citizen Scholar Institute Ventura County Star Students at Royal High School in Simi Valley have the opportunity to participate in a new program that fosters civic engagement and leadership skills in partnership with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library.
May 14	Second CA Court OK's Multi-Million Software Courthouse News Service Keeping with a trend in the nation's courts, a second small California court has opted for multi-million-dollar software from Texas-based Tyler Technologies, to be paid for by California's Administrative Office of the Courts.
May 14	California courts get bad budget news San Jose Mercury News California's massive court system will not share in any of the new revenue bounty in Gov. Jerry Brown's revised budget plan. Related: InFocus: Budget Crisis in the Judicial Branch
May 14	No Relief for Courts in May Revise Courthouse News Service Despite optimism from California's Chief Justice and the leader of the State Assembly that Governor Jerry Brown's revised budget will restore some funding to the courts, Brown said no new money will be heading the judiciary's way this year.
May 14	Gov. Jerry Brown sticks to hard line in revised budget proposal Los Angeles Times Gov. Jerry Brown took a hard line Tuesday as he unveiled his latest budget plan. Related: San Francisco Chronicle, Bloomberg Business Week, Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bee, News10
May 14	Federal cuts lower Calif. budget outlook Associated Press Despite surging state tax revenue, Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday announced a spending plan for the coming fiscal year that is $1.2 billion lower than he projected in January.
May 14	Judicial Profile: Daniel P. Maguire Daily Journal (Subscription required) Daniel Maguire had never been active in politics, but after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger swept into office with pledges to change Sacramento, he decided to make the jump to government work. Related: Superior Court of Yolo County
May 13	Name Surfaces For Fogel's Seat Legal Pad Blog San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman is the administration’s new leading contender to replace Fogel. Related: Superior Court of San Mateo County, Daily Journal
May 13	Judicial Profile: Mark Forcum The Recorder (Subscription required) "I think the part about being a judge I like best is trying to improve levels of public service to the constituents that we serve." Related: Superior Court of San Mateo County
May 13	Los Angeles deputy public defender set to become next State Bar president Daily Journal (Subscription required) It was a day of firsts at a State Bar meeting Friday in San Francisco. Los Angeles County deputy public defender Luis J. Rodriguez was the only one who threw his hat in the ring to become the agency's next president, which means he is all but certain to get the job when elections happen in July.
May 13	State Bar approves plan to raise dues $50 for legal aid, with an opt-out provision Daily Journal (Subscription required) State Bar leaders have unanimously voted to push ahead with a proposal that would kick up annual attorney dues $50 and siphon the proceeds to ailing legal aid services in California.
May 13	Judicial Profile: Barbara R. Johnson Daily Journal (Subscription required) Superior Court Judge Barbara R. Johnson says that, after graduating from Yale University in 1976 with a degree in English, she really didn't know what she wanted to do with her career. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County
May 12	Court cuts could create huge setbacks in San Mateo County San Francisco Examiner Like every court system in California, San Mateo County felt the pinch of budget cuts this year, and it’s enough to rattle administrators. Related: InFocus: Budget Crisis in the Judicial Branch, Superior Court of San Mateo County
May 11	Solano County courts welcome California's new funding model The Reporter While it won't erase their structural deficit, court officials in Solano County welcome a new funding model for trial courts across California that will net some desperately needed extra cash. Related: Judicial Council Report: New Funding Allocation Methodology
May 11	Yolo courts recognizing Juror Appreciation Week Daily Democrat Yolo County Superior Court, along with courts throughout California, will be celebrating Juror Appreciation Week, scheduled for May 13 through May 17. Related: News Release
May 10	Editorial: Courthouse study in right hands Grass Valley Union This week, Nevada City’s elected officials directed city staff to pursue an independent feasibility study in hopes of reviving the renovation of the Nevada County Courthouse, which the state “indefinitely delayed” in January despite its own 2009 report that deemed the 148-year-old facility “unsafe, substandard, overcrowded and functionally deficient.” Related: New Nevada County Courthouse
May 10	New clerk for San Diego appellate court San Diego Union Tribune The 4th District Court of Appeal in San Diego has named a new court clerk to take the place of Steve Kelly, and it didn’t have to look very far. Related: News Release
May 10	Peer courts suffer as budgets trimmed, but supporters tout their value Daily Journal (Subscription required) The lanky 14-year-old looked out at the courtroom from the witness stand, a blank stare poorly disguising his apprehension. Related: InFocus: Judicial Branch Budget Crisis; About Peer/Youth Courts
May 10	More California cities moving to shut marijuana clinics Associated Press More California cities are moving against medical marijuana dispensaries following a state Supreme Court ruling permitting them to ban the clinics. Related: California Healthline, Santa Clarita Valley Signal
May 9	Father's abuse of daughter a risk to sons San Francisco Chronicle A father who sexually abuses his daughter can be considered a menace to his sons as well, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. Related: Los Angeles Times
May 9	California Sues JPMorgan Chase Over Credit Card Cases New York Times California’s top law enforcement official accused JPMorgan Chase on Thursday of flooding the state’s courts with questionable lawsuits to collect overdue credit card debt. Related: The Recorder (Subscription required)
May 9	Opinion: California Supreme Court takes high road in pot debate San Diego Union Tribune One can be forgiven for confusing Belgium, where marijuana is still illegal but tolerated in small doses, with the neighboring Netherlands, where pot is largely legal, and freely available. Related:  High Times, Tahoe Daily Tribune
May 9	Tani Cantil-Sakauye, State's Chief Justice, to Give UCI Law School Commencement Address Blog: OC Weekly The chief justice of the California Supreme Court will deliver the commencement address at UC Irvine School of Law on May 11.
May 9	AHS to Celebrate State 'Civic Learning' Honor Albany Patch A state Supreme Court Justice will join state Sen. Loni Hancock and Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner on May 17 to speak and view student efforts at a "recognition event" in honor of Albany High receiving a state "Civic Learning" award. Related: Civic Learning Awards
May 9	Calls for state court funding intensify Daily Journal (Subscription required) Assembly Speaker John Perez on Wednesday called for restored funding for the state's judicial branch but warned that legislators will impose strict controls on how the branch spends that money.
May 9	Insurance company may face false advertising lawsuit after repeatedly lowballing customer Daily Journal (Subscription required) Plaintiffs lawyers and insurance companies have waited more than three years for the state Supreme Court to take up the case of Yanting Zhang, a homeowner who sued her insurance company for false advertising after it repeatedly stalled her efforts to get recovery after an apartment fire. Related: California Supreme Court
May 9	Justices lean toward broader application of settlement tool Daily Journal (Subscription required) The state Supreme Court took up a case Wednesday that could dramatically change lawyers' calculations for when to make and accept pretrial settlement offers.
May 9	Opening Remarks Chico News & Review Butte County Judge Steven Howell addresses the audience at a groundbreaking for a new courthouse in Chico. Related: New North Butte Courthouse
May 9	Judicial Profile: Charles Haines Daily Journal (Subscription required) Judge Charles Haines says there's been progress in equality for gays since he took the bench. Related: Superior Court of San Francisco
May 9	Video: Judicial Profile: Judge Mark Forcum The Recorder The San Mateo County judge talks about what he enjoys most about his work — providing service to attorneys and residents in the county. Related: Superior Court of San Mateo County
May 8	More Money for Courts Will Come With Conditions The Recorder Assembly leader John Perez said Wednesday that rosy projections for the next state budget should mean some restored funding for fiscally drained courts.
May 8	Assembly speaker outlines budget plans Los Angeles Times Gov. Jerry Brown won't unveil his revised budget plan until next week, but Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez detailed some of his own ideas Wednesday.
May 8	Preferred site identified for new Stanislaus County courthouse Modesto Bee Stanislaus County’s new courthouse will be built between Ninth and 10th streets and G and H streets in downtown Modesto, a state committee has decided. Related: New Modesto Courthouse
May 8	California Supreme Court wrestles with spousal rights case San Jose Mercury News Confronting a Silicon Valley woman's unusual legal plight, the California Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared reluctant to strip legal rights from spouses who truly believe they are married but may not have taken all the technical steps to make sure their paperwork is right under state law.
May 8	Fourth District Court of Appeal Names New Clerk Met News The Fourth District Court of Appeal has chosen Kevin J. Lane as its new clerk/administrator, Administrative Presiding Justice Judith McConnell said yesterday. Related: News Release
May 8	State Supreme Court debates how government agencies must analyze project impacts Daily Journal (Subscription required) The state Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in a case that could have far-reaching consequences for how government agencies analyze the environmental consequences of large infrastructure projects around the state. Related: California Supreme Court
May 8	Debtor's Purgatory East Bay Express People who can't afford to hire an attorney have virtually no chance in court against well-heeled lawyers for banks and debt collection companies.
May 8	C.A. Rejects Challenge to Court Reporter’s Allegedly Excessive Fees Met News The sole means of challenging a court reporter’s fees for deposition transcripts as excessive is by motion filed in the action in which the depositions were taken, the Court of Appeal for this district ruled yesterday.
May 8	Bill will give more teeth to State Bar in catching unauthorized practitioners of law Daily Journal (Subscription required) A bill to give the State Bar more power to pursue unauthorized practitioners of law unanimously passed the state Assembly Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning.
May 8	Facing suit, State Bar defends exam passage rate rule Daily Journal (Subscription required) A requirement that at least 40 percent of graduates from State Bar-accredited law schools be able to pass the bar exam is constitutional and "wholly rational," bar lawyers argued in a motion defending the new rule against a law school's challenge.
May 8	Judicial Profile: Rebecca Omens Daily Journal (Subscription required) Like her earlier studies in anthropology, Rebecca Omens still pores over the context of each case. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County
May 7	Editorial: Dispensary case was about more than marijuana Oakland Tribune The California Supreme Court got it right on Monday when it unanimously ruled that local governments have authority to ban certain activities -- in this case marijuana dispensaries -- from operating within their borders.
May 7	In California, Diversity in College Starts Earlier New York Times As the Supreme Court weighs a case that could decide the future of affirmative action in college admissions, California offers one glimpse of a future without it.
May 7	Judicial Profile: John A. Slawson Daily Journal (Subscription required) John A. Slawson, who's been a commissioner in Los Angeles County for 20 years, is in the middle of applying for a promotion. He's hoping the third time is the charm. Related: Superior Court of Los Angeles County