Phase One: Conference Summary

Court System Challenges. On May 13-15, 1998, the Judicial Council of California, the policy setting body for the state court system, chaired by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald M. George, with financial assistance provided by the State Justice Institute, sponsored the first-ever statewide Community-Focused court planning conference. This conference was developed to respond to two of the most significant challenges currently facing the courts in California:
  1. renewing public trust and confidence in our judicial system, and

  2. strengthening the independence of the judiciary by improving the ability of the courts to plan for and determine the future direction of local court systems.

County Court Planning Teams. The conference, entitled Courts and Their Communities: Local Planning and the Renewal of Public Trust and Confidence, was attended by county court planning teams from 57 of the 58 counties in California. Teams were comprised of judges, court administrators, local county government representatives, local bar representatives, and members of the public. These teams were charged with the challenge of leading the countywide Community-Focused court strategic planning effort in their home counties. A list of the members of your county court planning team is enclosed for your information.

Conference Content. At the conference the teams received information to enable the them to assist the courts in countywide strategic planning emphasizing community involvement including:

  1. an overview by judicial and community leaders from California and other states of the current challenges facing the courts in California, including the need to
      a) improve the administration of justice (especially issues related to equal access to justice);
      b) openly address diminishing public trust and confidence in the justice system; and
      c) provide adequate resources to enable the courts to deliver quality service to the public;

  2. training by nationally recognized experts in court planning in the five-step Community-Focused court planning model develop for this project;

  3. examples of real experiences in court planning from across the state and nation; and

  4. information on the potential benefits of court/community collaboration.

Please Join Us. Members of your county team have returned home ready to take on the challenge of guiding the Community-Focused court planning effort in your communities. The success of countywide Community-Focused court planning depends upon the active involvement of the bench and court staff, as well as affiliated members of the justice system and concerned members of the public. Please contact your county court's team leader if you are interested in participating in the your county's Community-Focused court planning activities.

 

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