加州司法委员会2024年度回顾

The following are highlights of those efforts:

工作重点如下：

Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero delivered her annual State of the Judiciary address to the California Legislature. In her remarks, she emphasized her goals for the judicial branch, which include accountability in the use of public resources, efficient caseflow management, and safeguarding the integrity of the court and judicial decision-making.
首席大法官帕特里夏-格雷罗 (Patricia Guerrero) 向加州议会发表了年度司法机构状况讲话。在讲话中，她强调了自己对司法部门的目标，其中包括对公共资源使用的问责制、高效的案件流程管理以及维护法院和司法决策的公正性。

Shealso affirmed the judicial branch’s commitment to enhancing access to justice for the people of California. Using technology as an example, she explained how the courts are helping to increase access through remote services and tools—including 24/7 e-filing, access to online records and research, self-help resources, and remote appearances.
她还肯定了司法部门对加强加州人民诉诸司法的承诺。她以技术为例，解释了法院如何通过远程服务和工具帮助增加诉诸司法的机会，包括全天候电子档案、在线记录和研究、自助资源和远程出庭。

A recent Judicial Council report showed that approximately 150,000 remote civil proceedings are conducted statewide each month; and more than 90% of court users and 98% of court staff reported positive experiences.
司法委员会最近的一份报告显示，全州每月大约进行 15 万次远程民事诉讼；90% 以上的法院用户和 98% 的法院工作人员都报告了积极的体验。

The MyCitations online tool allows low-income individuals with infraction violations to request a reduction in their fines and fees without going to the courthouse. Users can also request a payment plan, more time to pay, or community service.
通过 MyCitations 在线工具，低收入违章者无需前往法院即可申请减免罚款和费用。用户还可以申请付款计划、更长的付款时间或社区服务。

Launched in the first court in April 2019, the MyCitations tool was successfully implemented in all 58 counties before July 1, 2024. Since its launch, more than 183,000 litigants have submitted requests to reduce their fines, resulting in more than $65 million in reductions.
MyCitations 工具于 2019 年 4 月在第一个法院推出，并于 2024 年 7 月 1 日前在所有 58 个县成功实施。自推出以来，已有超过 183,000 名诉讼当事人提交了减免罚款的请求，减免金额超过 6500 万美元。

Adding to the MyCitations tool’s functionality, a new Online Trial by Declaration module allows a defendant to contest eligible traffic citations by submitting a written statement and uploading evidence online.
除了 MyCitations 工具的功能外，新的在线声明审判模块允许被告通过提交书面声明和在线上传证据对符合条件的交通传票提出异议。
 

The statewide Pathways to Justice conference brought together members of the legal community to highlight services and tools to help court users in civil cases who can’t afford attorneys. Cosponsored by the Judicial Council of California, the State Bar of California, and the Legal Aid Association of California, conference attendees included nonprofit legal services providers, private bar pro bono volunteers, and staff from court departments and self-help centers.
全州范围的 "通往正义之路 "会议汇聚了法律界人士，重点介绍了帮助无力聘请律师的民事案件法院用户的服务和工具。会议由加利福尼亚州司法委员会、加利福尼亚州律师协会和加利福尼亚州法律援助协会共同主办，与会者包括非营利性法律服务提供者、私人律师无偿志愿者以及法院部门和自助中心的工作人员。

The conference highlighted a broad range of strategies used to expand access to the legal system, including technology, AI, childcare, pro bono work, lawyer referral services, and language access. It also offered training in areas like housing, family law, and domestic violence, in which parties are often without attorneys.
会议重点介绍了用于扩大法律系统可及性的广泛战略，包括技术、人工智能、儿童保育、公益工作、律师转介服务和语言可及性。会议还提供了住房、家庭法和家庭暴力等领域的培训，这些领域的当事人往往没有律师。
 

This year all 58 trial courts in California began accepting petitions under the CARE Act, which authorizes specified people to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan that can include treatment, housing support, and other services for persons with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
今年，加利福尼亚州的所有 58 家审判法院都开始接受根据《关怀法案》提出的申请，该法案授权特定人群向民事法院提出申请，以制定自愿的关怀协议或法院命令的关怀计划，其中可包括为精神分裂症和其他精神障碍患者提供的治疗、住房支持和其他服务。

Per the CARE Act statute, implementation started in October 2023, with seven counties (Glenn, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Stanislaus, Tuolumne), and Los Angeles County followed two months later. The remaining 50 counties met the legislative deadline for accepting petitions by Dec. 2, 2024.
根据《关怀法案》法规，2023 年 10 月开始实施，七个县（格伦县、橙县、河滨县、圣地亚哥县、旧金山县、斯坦尼斯劳斯县、图鲁姆恩县）和洛杉矶县在两个月后开始实施。其余 50 个县在 2024 年 12 月 2 日之前达到了接受申请的立法截止日期。

Since the CARE Act took effect, the council has supported the rollout by:
自《关爱法案》生效以来，理事会通过以下方式支持该法案的推广：

Statewide CARE Act data has shown the number of petitions filed each month has been relatively steady since its launch in the early implementing counties—with a total of 869 petitions filed from Oct. 1, 2023, through Oct. 31, 2024. During that same time, courts ordered more than 175 care agreements and plans, and 516 petitions were still being actively engaged.
全州范围内的《关爱法案》数据显示，自该法案在早期实施县启动以来，每月提交的申请数量相对稳定--从 2023 年 10 月 1 日到 2024 年 10 月 31 日，共提交了 869 份申请。在同一时期，法院下达了超过 175 份护理协议和计划，516 份申请仍在积极处理中。
 

A retiring workforce, geographic constraints, and testing capacity are making it difficult for courts to meet the demand for interpreting. To address the shortage of interpreters, the state’s judicial branch launched a five-year pilot program to hire more court interpreter employees, dedicating $6.8 million in funding made available from the 2023 Budget Act.
即将退休的劳动力、地域限制和测试能力使法院难以满足口译需求。为了解决口译员短缺的问题，州司法部门启动了一项为期五年的试点计划，专门从《2023 年预算法案》中拨款 680 万美元，用于聘用更多的法庭口译员。

TheCourt Interpreter Workforce Pilot Program reimburses participants for costs associated with their training, coursework, and up to three examination fees. Program graduates must also agree to work for the courts for at least three years after passing all the required exams and enroll with the Judicial Council as a court interpreter.
法院口译员劳动力试点计划为参与者报销与培训、课程和最多三次考试相关的费用。该计划的毕业生还必须同意在通过所有规定的考试后为法院工作至少三年，并在司法委员会注册成为一名法院口译员。

Twenty superior courts are participating in the first cohort of the program and collectively received more than 1,000 applications. Each court may have up to 10 candidates per year. Applications for cohort 2 will open in spring 2025.
20 个高级法院参加了该计划的第一批，共收到 1,000 多份申请。每个法院每年最多可有 10 名候选人。第二批计划将于 2025 年春季开始接受申请。
 

Recognizing the integral role jurors play in our justice system, following are some recent judicial branch initiatives to improve jury service in California:
认识到陪审员在我们的司法系统中发挥着不可或缺的作用，以下是司法部门最近为改善加州陪审员服务而采取的一些举措：

In addition, the council recently approvedsimplifying the language used for the oaths administered to jurors and prospective jurors to ensure they fully understand the oaths before voir dire and prior to being seated for a jury trial.
此外，委员会最近还批准简化向陪审员和潜在陪审员宣誓时使用的语言，以确保他们在预备讯问和入座参加陪审团审判之前完全理解誓词。
 

The council approved $2.713 million in grants to help fund 45 CASA programs that help support children when they must move to new homes for their own protection. During this time of transition, judicial officers can appoint them a CASA (court appointed special advocate), a trained volunteer that advocates for children in juvenile court.
理事会批准了 271.3 万美元的拨款，用于资助 45 个 CASA 计划，当儿童为了保护自己而必须搬到新家时，这些计划将为他们提供帮助。在这一过渡时期，司法官员可以为他们指定一名 CASA（法院指定的特别辩护人），即在少年法庭上为儿童辩护的训练有素的志愿者。

CASA volunteers spend time with the child, monitor their needs, and provide child-focused recommendations on services and education based on the best interests of the child. Unlike other mentoring programs, CASAs serve as an officer of the court, trained on topics such as the impact of trauma on children, cultural competency, and dependency laws.
CASA 志愿者与儿童朝夕相处，关注他们的需求，并根据儿童的最佳利益提供以儿童为中心的服务和教育建议。与其他辅导计划不同的是，CASA 作为法庭官员，接受过创伤对儿童的影响、文化能力和抚养法等方面的培训。

More than 7,000 CASA volunteers serve approximately 11,000 children, donating 400,000 hours per year to help children, judges, and other professionals in the state’s juvenile courts. Despite this enormous impact, more CASAs are needed for the roughly 70,000 children in foster care.
7,000 多名 CASA 志愿者为大约 11,000 名儿童提供服务，每年奉献 400,000 个小时来帮助儿童、法官和州少年法庭的其他专业人员。尽管有如此巨大的影响力，但仍需要更多的 CASA 为大约 7 万名寄养儿童提供服务。
 

More than two decades of collaborative efforts among the Judicial Council, the superior courts, and partners in child welfare has achieved positive progress in improving adoption and permanency in California. Comparing data from 1999 and 2023, the number of children entering foster care for the first time decreased by 51%, and the number of children living apart from their families decreased by 58%.
二十多年来，司法委员会、高级法院和儿童福利合作伙伴之间的合作努力在改善加利福尼亚州的收养和永久安置方面取得了积极进展。对比 1999 年和 2023 年的数据，首次进入寄养家庭的儿童人数减少了 51%，与家人分离的儿童人数减少了 58%。

In addition, the councilapproved new court forms to simplify, clarify, and provide additional guidance for parents during the adoption process. The revised “How to Adopt a Child in California” form now clarifies the necessary steps to finalize distinct types of adoptions, including adoptions of children of Native American ancestry. The council also approved a new form specifically designed for stepparent adoptions. Court self-help center staff identified stepparent adoptions as the most common types for which they provide assistance and the ones having the most confusing processes for self-represented litigants.
此外，委员会还批准了新的法院表格，以简化、澄清收养过程并为父母提供更多指导。修订后的 "如何在加州收养儿童 "表格现在明确了完成不同类型收养的必要步骤，包括收养具有美国原住民血统的儿童。委员会还批准了一份专门为继父母收养设计的新表格。法院自助中心的工作人员指出，继父母领养是他们提供援助的最常见类型，也是自辩诉讼当事人最困惑的程序。
 

The judicial branch completed new courthouses in
司法部门在Menifee (Riverside County) and Redding (Shasta County). The new buildings address overcrowding, security, and accessibility issues, and help consolidate and improve court services for their communities.
梅尼菲（河滨县）和雷丁（沙斯塔县）。新建筑解决了过度拥挤、安全和无障碍问题，并有助于整合和改善社区的法院服务。

Since assuming responsibility for court construction in 2002, the council has completed 35 new courthouses, and another 16 are underway in various stages. These include new court facilities in both large and small counties, as well as urban and rural areas across the state.
自 2002 年承担法院建设职责以来，该委员会已建成 35 座新法院，另有 16 座正处于不同阶段。其中包括全州大小县以及城市和农村地区的新法院设施。

Sustainability efforts employed at courthouses across the state continue to use green energy, reduce emissions, and improve waste management. The judicial branch has already achieved either gold or silver LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for 21 courthouses across the state and has seven more certifications in progress. LEED certification is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance “green” buildings.
全州各法院继续在使用绿色能源、减少排放和改善废物管理方面开展可持续发展工作。司法部门已为全州 21 家法院颁发了美国绿色建筑委员会 LEED 金牌或银牌认证，另有 7 家法院的认证工作正在进行中。LEED 认证是一项第三方认证计划，也是全国公认的高性能 "绿色 "建筑设计、建造和运营的基准。

Those “green” strategies include water conservation, solar panels, EV (electric vehicle) charger stations, and setting sustainability standards for courthouse construction. The latest California Trial Court Facilities Standards approved in September of this year target a 12% increase in water conservation and a 15% increase in energy efficiency—or more if budgets allow—for future new courthouse projects. Additional long-term goals include electrifying heating systems and increasing the use of renewable energy.
这些 "绿色 "战略包括节水、太阳能电池板、EV（电动汽车）充电站以及为法院建筑制定可持续发展标准。今年 9 月批准的最新《加利福尼亚州审判法庭设施标准》规定，未来的新法庭项目要将节水率提高 12%，能效提高 15%，如果预算允许，还可提高更多。其他长期目标包括供暖系统电气化和增加可再生能源的使用。
 

The judicial branch launched a new judicial branch task force to evaluate generative artificial intelligence (AI) for its potential benefits to courts and court users while mitigating risks to safeguard the public.
司法部门成立了一个新的司法部门工作组，负责评估生成式人工智能（AI）对法院和法院用户的潜在益处，同时降低风险以保护公众。

Earlier this year, Chief Justice Guerrero asked Justice Mary Greenwood and Judge Arturo Castro to help identify the foundational questions the California court system must consider regarding the appropriate uses of AI. In response to their report, Chief Justice Guerrero announced the following next steps for the judicial branch:
今年早些时候，首席大法官格雷罗要求玛丽-格林伍德法官和阿图罗-卡斯特罗法官帮助确定加州法院系统在适当使用人工智能方面必须考虑的基本问题。针对他们的报告，格雷罗首席大法官宣布了司法部门的以下下一步措施：

The judicial branch made strides in safeguarding the courts and their personnel against cyber threats. A key focus was education, highlighted by a series of interactive cybersecurity webinars that equipped judicial officers and judicial branch staff with critical knowledge to protect both institutional and personal digital assets. Topics included recognizing phishing attempts, securing devices, and mitigating risks.
司法部门在保护法院及其工作人员免受网络威胁方面取得了长足进步。其中一个重点是教育，突出表现在一系列互动式网络安全网络研讨会上，这些研讨会使司法官员和司法部门工作人员掌握了保护机构和个人数字资产的重要知识。主题包括识别网络钓鱼企图、保护设备安全和降低风险。

To reinforce these efforts, the branch conducted phishing exercises throughout the year, enabling staff to practice identifying and responding to simulated threats in real time. These exercises not only improved awareness but also strengthened the branch's overall defense mechanisms against cyberattacks. Additionally, the courts bolstered cybersecurity by expanding endpoint protection, ensuring devices are better equipped to detect, prevent, and respond to threats.
为了加强这些努力，该处全年都进行了网络钓鱼演习，使工作人员能够练习实时识别和应对模拟威胁。这些演习不仅提高了认识，还加强了分院对网络攻击的整体防御机制。此外，法院还通过扩大端点保护来加强网络安全，确保设备能够更好地检测、预防和应对威胁。

In addition to a $97 million reduction to the trial courts, the fiscal year 2024-25 state budget also called for a commensurate reduction of 7.95% to the state-level judiciary, which includes the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, Habeas Corpus Resource Center, and the Judicial Council.

除了对初审法院削减 9700 万美元外，2024 - 2025 财年的州预算还要求对州级司法机构进行相应 7.95% 的削减，这其中包括最高法院、上诉法院、人身保护令资源中心以及司法委员会。

To help manage the reductions, many of the state's trial courts froze hiring, adopted furloughs, and reduced hours at their clerks’ offices and public counters. Despite the cutbacks, the courts are making every effort to minimize delays and preserve public access to justice. The Judicial Council also implemented proactive cost-saving measures, such as hiring freezes, reduced travel, and shifting meetings online.
为了应对裁员，该州的许多初审法院冻结了招聘，实行了休假，并减少了书记员办公室和公共柜台的工作时间。尽管进行了削减，但各法院仍在尽一切努力减少延误，维护公众诉诸司法的权利。司法委员会也实施了积极的成本节约措施，如冻结招聘、减少差旅以及将会议转移到网上进行。

Court leaders continued outreach to their local legislators to educate them on the work of the courts, and to communicate the operational impacts the budget cuts are having on court services to the public.
法院领导继续与当地立法者开展外联活动，向他们宣传法院的工作，并向公众介绍预算削减对法院服务造成的业务影响。
 

The council surveys California justices and judges at the end of each year to get a snapshot of the demographics of the California bench—including gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
该委员会每年年底都会对加州大法官和法官进行调查，以了解加州法官的人口统计数据，包括性别、种族和性取向。

For the 18th straight year since tracking this data, the number of women and people of color on the bench has increased. Female judicial officers now constitute 41% of our judges. The number of Asian, Black, and Hispanic judges has doubled during that same time.
自追踪该数据以来，女性和有色人种担任法官的人数连续第 18 年增加。目前，女性司法人员占法官总数的 41%。在同一时期，亚裔、黑人和西班牙裔法官的人数也翻了一番。

Supporting the goal of “Access, Fairness, Diversity, and Inclusion,” the council’s diversity initiatives also include the Judicial Mentor Program, a statewide undertaking between the executive and judicial branches to develop and recruit qualified and diverse judicial applicants for the state’s appellate and superior courts. The appellate and superior courts have also started their own local mentor programs.
为支持 "准入、公平、多样性和包容 "的目标，该委员会的多样性倡议还包括司法导师计划，这是行政部门和司法部门在全州范围内开展的一项工作，旨在为本州的上诉法院和高等法院培养和招聘合格的、多样化的司法申请人。上诉法院和高等法院还启动了各自的地方导师计划。

The council also created an online toolkit calledPathways to Judicial Diversity. The toolkit has resources designed to help judges and courts reach out to diverse law students and attorneys and encourage them to pursue judicial careers.
该委员会还创建了一个名为 "司法多样性之路 "的在线工具包。该工具包中的资源旨在帮助法官和法院接触多元化的法律专业学生和律师，鼓励他们从事司法职业。
 

The Chief Justice's Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative continued to expand its reach into more California’s schools. The initiative’s Civic Learning Awards program encourages K-12 public schools to share how they promote opportunities for students inside the classroom and in their communities.
首席大法官的 "民主力量公民学习倡议"（Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative）继续将其影响力扩大到加州更多的学校。该倡议的 "公民学习奖 "计划鼓励 K-12 公立学校分享他们如何在课堂上和社区中为学生创造机会。

The program has presented the Civic Learning Award 540 times to 343 schools in the last decade—21 elementary, middle, and high schools across California were recognized in 2024.Schools at the highest level, Award of Excellence, traditionally receive a visit from California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, while judges from other courts present the awards of Distinction, Merit, and Honorable Mention. 
在过去十年中，该计划已向 343 所学校颁发了 540 次公民学习奖，其中 21 所小学、初中和高中在 2024 年受到表彰。获得最高级别 "优秀奖 "的学校传统上会受到加州首席大法官帕特里夏-格雷罗（Patricia Guerrero）的访问，而其他法院的法官则会颁发 "杰出奖"、"优秀奖 "和 "荣誉奖"。

The initiative’sJudges in the Classroom program enables teachers to invite judges to visit their classrooms (either in-person or virtual) and engage their classes in lessons on the U.S. Constitution, Rule of Law, Voting Rights, or Historical Milestones in the making of our democracy. In 2024, the Judges in the Classroom program engaged 30% more courts and schools than it did last year. Currently, 353 volunteer judges representing 32 counties around the state support the initiative. Last school year alone, the program reached more than 13,000 students.
该计划的 "法官进课堂 "项目使教师能够邀请法官访问他们的课堂（面对面或虚拟），并让他们的班级参与到有关美国宪法、法治、投票权或民主建设历史里程碑的课程中。2024 年，"法官进课堂 "计划参与的法院和学校比去年增加了 30%。目前，代表全州 32 个县的 353 名志愿法官支持该计划。仅上一学年，该计划就惠及 13,000 多名学生。
 

The Judicial Council honored three recipients with its 2024 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes people and organizations for their extraordinary leadership and contributions to the administration of justice in California.
司法委员会向三位获奖者颁发了 "2024 杰出服务奖"（2024 Distinguished Service Award），该奖项旨在表彰为加州司法工作做出卓越领导和贡献的个人和组织。

This year’s recipients—Justice William W. Bedsworth, Judge Terry B. Friedman (Ret.), and Court Executive Officer Melissa Fowler-Bradley—were honored for their work related to advocating for civilitywithin the legal profession, improving the court system for families and children, and leading court-based innovations to better serve the public. Watch these videos to learn about all of this year's award recipients.
今年的获奖者是 William W. Bedsworth 法官、Terry B. Friedman 法官（已退休）和法院执行官 Melissa Fowler-Bradley，他们因在倡导法律职业文明、改善家庭和儿童的法院系统以及领导法院创新以更好地服务公众方面所做的工作而受到表彰。观看这些视频，了解今年所有获奖者的情况。

Chief Justice Guerrero and the Judicial Council also honored the thousands of additional public servants of California's judicial branch the first week of May during Public Service Recognition Week. This video below, produced by the council, highlights six of California's dedicated public servants, who speak about why they choose to serve in the judicial branch.
首席大法官格雷罗和司法委员会还在五月第一周的公共服务表彰周期间表彰了加州司法部门的数千名公务员。下面这段由委员会制作的视频重点介绍了加州六位兢兢业业的公务员，他们讲述了自己选择在司法部门工作的原因。

Under the leadership of the Chief Justice and in accordance with the California Constitution, the Judicial Council is responsible for ensuring the consistent, independent, impartial, and accessible administration of justice. The council carries out this mission through the work of its advisory bodies and staff that help develop and implement the policies and solutions to the issues confronting the California court system.
在首席大法官的领导下，根据《加州宪法》，司法委员会负责确保司法的一致性、独立性、公正性和可及性。委员会通过其咨询机构和工作人员的工作来履行这一使命，帮助制定和实施政策并解决加州法院系统面临的问题。

The council also provides direct programs and services in multiple areas to ensure the courts can maintain meaningful access to the justice system for the public. Examples of just some of those service areas include:
该委员会还在多个领域提供直接计划和服务，以确保法院能够为公众提供有意义的司法服务。其中一些服务领域包括：

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