Advisory Groups
Role and Membership
To provide leadership for advancing the consistent, impartial, independent, and accessible administration of justice, the Judicial Council must be aware of the issues and concerns confronting the judiciary, as well as appropriate solutions and responses. The council carries out this mission primarily through the work of its advisory committees and task forces.
The chair of the council may appoint advisory committees and task forces, comprising judges, court officials, attorneys, and members of the public, to advise the council in studying the condition of court business, improving judicial administration, and performing other council responsibilities. Advisory committees monitor areas of continuing significance to the justice system, whereas task forces handle particular projects or proposals. Both make recommendations to the council.
Advisory Committees
Task Forces
ACCESS AND FAIRNESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Monitors issues related to access to the judicial system and fairness in the state courts and provides policy direction in these areas. The committee's five subcommittees address issues of racial and ethnic fairness, sexual orientation fairness, gender fairness, and access for persons with disabilities, as well as education and implementation.
Membership list (PDF, 32 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESIDING JUSTICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Improves appellate court justices' access to and participation in the Judicial Council decision-making process; reviews rules, forms, studies, and recommendations to the council related to appellate court administration; identifies issues of concern to the courts, including legislative issues, that might be addressed by the council or its advisory committees or task forces; and strengthens communication between the council and the appellate courts.
Membership list (PDF, 16 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
APPELLATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Advises the council on matters related to procedures, forms, standards, practices, and operations of the appellate courts and identifies issues of concern to the appellate courts, including legislative issues.
Membership list (PDF, 24 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
Appellate Advocacy College 2000 lecture materials
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CIVIL JURY INSTRUCTIONS
Regularly reviews case law and statutes affecting jury instructions and makes recommendations to the council for updating, amending, and adding topics to the council’s civil jury instructions.
Membership list (PDF, 20 KB)
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS
Regularly reviews case law and statutes affecting jury instructions and makes recommendations to the council for updating, amending, and adding topics to the council’s criminal jury instructions.
Membership list (PDF, 18 KB)
CIVIL AND SMALL CLAIMS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Identifies issues and concerns confronting the judiciary in the areas of civil procedure, practice, and case management, including small claims, and suggests appropriate solutions and responses.
Membership list (PDF, 33 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
COLLABORATIVE JUSTICE COURTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Advises the council on collaborative justice courts (including drug courts, teen courts, domestic violence courts, and other collaborative courts). The committee is developing criteria for identifying these specialty courts, determining promising practices, and looking at funding opportunities. The committee's five subcommittees address education and public relations, evaluation, grant funding programs, inventory and definitions, and legislation and long-term funding.
Membership list (PDF, 27 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
COURT EXECUTIVES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Strengthens court administrators' access to and participation in the Judicial Council decision-making process; reviews rules, forms, standards, studies, and recommendations related to court administration that are proposed to the council by advisory committees or task forces; identifies issues of concern to the courts, including legislative issues, that might be addressed by the council or its advisory committees or task forces; and improves communication between the council and the trial courts.
Membership list (PDF, 21 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
COURT INTERPRETERS ADVISORY PANEL
Works to improve the number and quality of interpreters in the courts; proposes comprehensive legislation on interpreters; and advises the Judicial Council on standards, training, and other issues.
Membership list (PDF, 23 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
COURT TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Promotes, coordinates, and facilitates the application of technology to the work of the courts. The committee establishes standards to ensure technological compatibility; facilitates court technology projects funded in whole or in part by the state; proposes rules, standards, or legislation to ensure privacy, access, and security; and assists courts in acquiring and developing useful technology systems.
Membership list (PDF, 23 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
CRIMINAL LAW ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Identifies issues and concerns confronting the judiciary in the areas of criminal procedure, practice, and case management and suggests solutions and responses.
Membership list (PDF, 25 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
FAMILY AND JUVENILE LAW ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Identifies issues and concerns faced by the courts in matters related to procedure, practice, and management for cases involving marriage, family, or children, and suggests solutions and responses.
Membership list (PDF, 32 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
GOVERNING COMMITTEE OF THE CENTER FOR JUDICIAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (CJER)
Determines the operating policies, funding, staffing, and programs of the Center for Judicial Education and Research and makes recommendations for action to the Judicial Council or the California Judges Association.
Membership list (PDF, 21 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
Proposal: Minimum Education Requirements for the Judicial Branch
JUDICIAL SERVICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Pending a decision by the Judicial Council on whether to restructure the Judicial Service Advisory Committee and to amend California Rules of Court, rule 10.57, a Working Group on Judicial Pay and Benefits will consult with, advise, directly assist, and make recommendations to the Administrative Director of the Courts, and to the Judicial Council at the request of the Administrative Director, on judicial compensation, nonretirement benefits, and retirement benefits.
PROBATE AND MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Assists the Judicial Council on probate and mental health issues; advises the council on legislation affecting probate and mental health proceedings; proposes forms, rules of probate procedure, and needed actions on mental health issues; develops proposed uniform statewide probate rules; and revises the Handbook for Conservators.
Membership list (PDF, 27 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
TRAFFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Works toward improving the administration of justice in the adjudication of traffic and bail-forfeitable offenses; identifies policy issues and recommends rules and model procedures that will make the handling of traffic and bail-forfeitable offenses more consistent statewide.
Membership list (PDF, 23 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
Traffic Program information
TRIAL COURT PRESIDING JUDGES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Enhances trial court judges' access to and participation in the Judicial Council decision-making process; reviews rules, forms, studies, and recommendations related to court administration that are proposed to the council; identifies issues of concern to the courts, including legislative issues, that might be addressed by the council or its advisory committees or task forces; and improves communication between the council and the trial courts.
Membership list (PDF, 21 KB)
Membership categories and additional duties
APPELLATE INDIGENT DEFENSE OVERSIGHT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Develops recommendations to ensure adequate assistance of counsel to indigent defendants, make effective and efficient use of state resources, increase uniformity and implement practices statewide where possible, develop guidelines for review of compensation claims, and monitor and review the payment of such claims.
Membership list (PDF, 13 KB)
BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE
Provides leadership and recommendations to improve the ability of the federal government, California's state and local agencies, and the courts to protect children in California by helping them to become part of a permanent family that will provide a safe, stable, and secure home.
Link to more information
Membership list (PDF, 29 KB)
COMMISSION FOR IMPARTIAL COURTS
Provides leadership and makes recommendations to the Judicial Council of actions it should take in order to safeguard the quality, impartiality, and accountability of the California judiciary for the benefit of all its citizens.
Link to more information, including membership lists
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE TASK FORCE
Makes recommendations to the Judicial Council on improving the administration of justice in domestic violence cases in the California trial courts.
Membership list (PDF, 20 KB)
Audiocasts, meeting materials, and transcripts from Public Hearings in Los Angeles and San Francisco on March 14 and March 21, 2007
Final Report of The Domestic Violence Practice And Procedure Task Force
- Judicial Council Report Summary
- Judicial Council Report
- Recommended Guidelines and Practices for Improving the Administration of Justice in Domestic Violence Cases
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND SECURITY TASK FORCE
Evaluates court security issues and develops recommendations for the Judicial Council to manage, maintain, and improve security in the courts through statewide systems and progressive initiatives to increase efficiency.
Membership list (PDF, 21 KB)
LEGAL SERVICES TRUST FUND COMMISSION
Administers the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts Program and Equal Access Fund. Legislation enacted in 1999 authorizes the distribution of the Equal Access Fund to legal service providers through a process coordinated by the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission and overseen by the Judicial Council. The Chief Justice of California and the State Bar Board of Governors appoint individuals to sit on the commission for three-year terms beginning on the first day of the State Bar's annual meeting, held in the fall of each year.
Membership list (PDF, 20 KB)
PROBATE CONSERVATORSHIP TASK FORCE
Makes recommendations to the Judicial Council for reforms and improvements to the overall system of conservatorship administration. Seeks input from a broad range of interested and affected stakeholders about how to improve the practices, procedures, and administration of probate conservatorship cases. Performs a comprehensive review of laws governing conservatorships established under the Probate Code.
Link to further information
Membership list (PDF, 32 KB)
SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS
Determines the best ways to assist the growing number of Californians who need legal services but cannot afford an attorney. The task force coordinates the statewide response of the bench and bar to the needs of self-represented, or pro per, parties and helps share information about model pro per programs; implements a statewide action plan for serving self-represented litigants; develops resources for services for self-represented litigants, particularly activities in the statewide action plan that require significant funding; and makes recommendations to the Judicial Council, the State Bar, and other appropriate institutions about additional measures that should be considered to improve court services for self-represented parties.
Guidelines for Self-Help Centers (PDF, 116 KB)
Membership list (PDF, 21 KB)
