The Judicial Council conducted the state’s first survey of superior court operations. Finding extreme workload congestion, the council recommended close to 50 corrective legislative bills.
The Commission on Qualifications was established to review the Governor’s judicial appointments to the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal. Thirty years later, the council proposed renaming it the Commission on Judicial Appointments and expanding its authority to also review judicial appointments to the municipal and superior courts.
Consistent with its constitutional mandate, the council was granted power by the Legislature to prescribe rules of court governing appellate practice and civil and criminal actions and proceedings in all trial courts.
More than 700 court levels were consolidated into only two—municipal courts and justice courts—with uniform judicial qualifications, salaries, and provisions for financial support.
An amendment to article 6 of the state Constitution created the position of Administrative Director of the Courts. The following year, the Legislature established the staff agency to help implement the policies of the Judicial Council.
The council recommended constitutional amendments and statutes that created the Commission on Judicial Qualifications (now called the Commission on Judicial Performance), the independent state agency responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct.
The council and the California Judges Association jointly established the California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER) to provide continuing education for judicial officers and court staff.
The council adopted rules of court to provide an administrative procedure and support for trial courts when there is a change in venue for criminal cases.
Following an amendment to the California Constitution recognizing the right to an interpreter for any person charged with a crime and unable to understand English, the council conducted an extensive study of the language needs of non-English-speaking persons that led to new court interpreter standards.
New council rules took effect to improve procedures, practices, and administration in juvenile courts.
