Judicial Council Technology Committee

The Judicial Council Technology Committee (JCTC) is an Internal Judicial Council Committee comprised of Judicial Council members and two advisory members. The JCTC reports directly to the Judicial Council. Members are appointed by the Chief Justice for a one-year term. The membership term runs from September 15 – September 14. 

Download the Committee Roster

• Hon. Maria D. Hernandez, Chair, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange
• Mr. David Slayton, Vice-Chair, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Ms. Kate Bieker, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of California, County of Ventura
• Hon. Carol A. Corrigan, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
• Mr. Charles Johnson, Clerk/Executive Officer, Court of Appeal, First Appellate District
• Hon. Jeffrey C. Kauffman, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Solano
• Hon. Ricardo R. Ocampo, Assistant Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Mr. Craig M. Peters, Attorney at Law

Information Technology Advisory Committee Liaison

• Hon. Sheila F. Hanson, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange

Judicial Council Staff to the Committee

• Ms. Jessica Craven Goldstein, Information Technology, Judicial Council of California
• Ms. Laura Brown, Information Technology, Judicial Council of California

Strategic Plan for Court Technology (2023-2026)

At its December 2, 2022 meeting, the council adopted an update to the judicial branch’s Strategic Plan for Technology. The updated plan supersedes the 2019-2022 plan and was developed by analyzing the previous judicial branch technology goals, business drivers, and objectives, as well as by evaluating the benefits and outcomes, and was subsequently refined following circulation for branch and public comment. This plan provides a comprehensive and cohesive technology strategy, with clear, measurable goals and objectives at the branch level. Full report and agenda item from the December 2, 2022, Judicial Council meeting. View Video

Tactical Plan for Technology (2025-2026)

On April 25, 2025, the Judicial Council approved an update to the judicial branch’s Tactical Plan for Technology, which focuses on enhancing electronic access to courts and court services and promoting more efficient business practices. The plan identifies specific initiatives the judicial branch is pursuing, in areas such as case management systems, electronic records, remote video appearances, language access services, online dispute resolution, security, and data analytics. Full report, presentation, and agenda item from the April 25, 2025, Judicial Council meeting. View Video

Committee Purpose

Oversees the council’s policies concerning technology and is responsible in partnership with the courts for coordinating with the Administrative Director of the Courts and all internal committees, advisory committees, commissions, working groups, task forces, justice partners and stakeholders on technological issues relating to the branch and the courts. The committee is responsible for ensuring that council policies are complied with and that specific projects proceed on schedule and within scope and budget. The committee seeks reports and recommendations from the Administrative Director, the courts and stakeholders on technology issues. It ensures that technology reports to the council are clear, comprehensive, and provide relevant options so that the council can make effective final technology policy decisions. The committee reports on technology affecting the branch and courts at each Judicial Council meeting.

The Rule of Court specific to the Technology Committee can be found here and is copied below.

Rule 10.16. Technology Committee

(a) Technology policies

The Technology Committee oversees the council's policies concerning information technology. The committee assists the council by providing technology recommendations focusing on the establishment of policies that emphasize long-term strategic leadership and that align with judicial branch goals. The committee is responsible for determining that council policies are complied with on specific projects approved and funded by the council and that those projects proceed on schedule and within scope and budget.

(Subd (a) amended effective September 1, 2015.)

(b) Coordination

The committee coordinates the activities of the Administrative Director, council internal committees and advisory committees, the courts, justice partners, and stakeholders on matters relating to court information technology. The committee also, in collaboration or consultation with the Legislation Committee, coordinates with other branches of government on information technology issues.

(Subd (b) amended effective April 16, 2020; previously amended effective September 1, 2015, and January 1, 2016.)

(c) Reports

The committee seeks reports and recommendations from the Administrative Director, the courts, and stakeholders on information technology issues. It ensures that information technology reports to the council are clear, are comprehensive, and provide relevant options so that the council can make effective final information technology policy decisions.

(d) Strategic and tactical technology plans

(1)  Strategic technology plan

The strategic technology plan describes the technology goals for the branch. With input from advisory committees and individual courts, the committee is responsible for developing and recommending a strategic technology plan for the branch and the courts.

(2)  Tactical technology plan

The tactical technology plan outlines the technology initiatives and projects that provide a road map for achieving the goals in the strategic technology plan. The committee provides oversight approval and prioritization of the tactical technology plan, which is developed and recommended by advisory committees with input from the courts.

(Subd (d) adopted effective September 1, 2015.)

(e) Technology needs, standards, and systems

The committee will, in partnership with the courts, develop timelines and recommendations to the council for:

(1)  Establishing an approach and vision for implementing information technology that serves the courts, litigants, attorneys, justice partners, and the public, while considering available resources and information technology needs;

(2)  Improving judicial branch information technology governance to best serve the implementation of technological solutions;

(3)  Reviewing and recommending information technology standards; and

(4)  Encouraging the courts to leverage their collective economic purchasing power in acquiring technological systems.

(Subd (e) amended and relettered effective September 1, 2015; adopted as subd (d).)

(f) Sponsorship of branchwide technology initiatives

The committee may act as executive sponsor of branchwide technology initiatives under the workstream model in rule 10.53(c).

(Subd (f) adopted effective September 1, 2015.)

(g) Funding of branchwide technology initiatives and projects

The committee reviews, prioritizes, and recommends requests for the funding of branchwide technology initiatives and projects with input from advisory committees. Factors to be considered by the committee include overall return on investment, business risk, alignment with the technology goals approved by the council in the strategic technology plan, and the availability of sufficient funding from an identifiable funding source.

(Subd (g) adopted effective September 1, 2015.)

(h) Collaboration and consultation with the committee

Other committees and advisory bodies should collaborate or consult with the committee (1) before making decisions or recommendations on technology policies, standards, and projects, and (2) before recommending funding priorities or making recommendations to approve funding requests for branchwide technology initiatives and projects.

(Subd (h) adopted effective September 1, 2015.)

(i) Oversight of advisory committees and other bodies

In addition to performing its oversight responsibilities under rule 10.10(h), the Technology Committee oversees the branchwide technology initiatives sponsored by each advisory body for which it is responsible.

(Subd (i) amended effective January 1, 2019; adopted as subd (e); amended and relettered effective September 1, 2015.)

Rule 10.16 amended effective April 16, 2020; adopted effective February 20, 2014; previously amended effective September 1, 2015, January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019.