….and if there is nothing wrong with AOC management then all the problems must stem from much higher up the food chain, like the Office of the Chief Justice.
An article published by Cheryl Miller appeared in the recorder today labeled Time for a judicial branch reboot? and poses many of the questions brought up in this blog. In her article she writes
“Whether those critics can agree on what to do about CCMS — and what to do about judicial branch management — are other questions. Employee groups want CCMS shelved and funding redirected to ensure an end to furloughs and layoffs. Some judges want to democratize the Judicial Council, rather than having the chief justice appoint most of the voting members, a move they say would make the body more accountable. Still others want to shrink the AOC’s size and power while shifting more decision-making authority to the local courts.”
How about all of the above? That’s just for starters. Then we have this little gem..
“But the chief justice also challenged critics who want her to make more sweeping changes to branch management.
“To me, that isn’t about taking the auditor’s report seriously,” she said.”
The auditors report speaks directly to mismanagement, deceit and gross negligence on behalf of the management responsible for this project.
While it may not “seem to you” that this has anything to do with taking the audit report seriously, then it “seems to me” you would have never changed the project management of the project if it didn’t have everything to do with taking this report seriously.
What you refuse to do, just like your predecessor King George, is hold anyone accountable for anything except those who highlight the issues and are dumb enough to bring them to your attention.
Congratulations on writing your ticket to being one of the shortest serving chief justices in California history and nominating yourself to the wall of shame.
Judicial Council Watcher 
antonatrail
February 22, 2011
This whole mess can be cleared up with a cutesy-poo motto. How about “Our courts are here for the people we serve”? Thank you, Sheila, for this particularly gagging one. I suggest, What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. Thank you, Sir Walter Scott.
wendy darling
February 22, 2011
The AOC, the Judicial Council, and the Office of the Chief Justice – making the courts, the judicial branch, California, and the world, a safe place for hypocrisy.
JusticeCalifornia
February 22, 2011
Today’s Marin County Bar Association general meeting featuring Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye was reportedly the largest ever. A sell-out crowd attended the lunchtime meeting at San Rafael’s Embassy Suites Hotel.
I am going to skip the niceties (hopefully reporters were there who can give a “balanced view”), and go straight to the heart of the matter for purposes of this blog.
Justice Cantil-Sakauye is physically petite, but, IMHO, that has nothing to do with the distinct takeaway feeling that she is in way, way “over her head”.
The CJ told stories about how for years she didn’t really pay much attention to the Judicial Council, or what those sitting in the middle seat of the bench were saying, and contrasted that to now, when she has to figure out where the middle is so she can sit there and she is the one expected to do the talking.
She made it clear that Marin Court Executive Officer Kim Turner is a very important part of the new Judicial Council venture involving Court Executive Officers around the state. Indeed, Kim Turner sat there like a bobblehead, smiling and nodding approval of everything the CJ said.
The CJ explained that the budget is her biggest concern right now, and expressed irritation that the legislature is trying to tell the branch how and where to make cuts—suggesting that they should leave the branch alone because it knows best how to handle its finances and where the cuts should be made.
She explained that the branch is now responsible for maintenance of the courthouses in all 58 county courthouses, down to changing the light bulbs. (Did she forget that the exorbitant amount the branch is paying to change local light bulbs is one of the reasons the legislature is concerned?)
She was asked this question: “Isn’t it true that there is an increasing rift within the branch, regarding governance, spending and oversight, and that this is contributing to the legislature’s decision to step in?” (Or words to that effect.)
She agreed, and said she had met with the leaders of “that group” (or words to that effect) in December (which presumably is the ACJ), and invited them to join committees but they refused to do so, and she is not happy that they are talking to the legislature about legislative changes in governance. She criticized them for writing her a letter telling her what to do, including cutting the AOC staff by 25%. She said she is about process, and having people sit down and talk things out, and that she was sure the problems could be addressed and resolved in that manner — and she invited people to tell her what they thought should be changed. She didn’t answer the spending or oversight aspects of the question posed.
A complete layperson attending the lunch commented that this new CJ appears to be out of touch and has so much to learn—
And given the CJ’s reaction to the CCMS audit, legitimate legislative spending/oversight concerns, comments in recent news articles, and today’s lunch, that is an understatement. She is in over her head, and appears to be handling that by getting defensive—saying she doesn’t like to be told what to do. It did not appear that she has bad intentions, it is just that it could be MANY YEARS before she knows and understands what so many of those pushing for reform based on years-old problems already know. . ..and the branch may not survive her learning curve. We cannot expect that significant changes in branch leadership will be made by her anytime soon (if ever), because the CJ doesn’t appear to have a clue how to run the branch, and is dependent on RG’s loyal leftovers to guide her due to her own lack of experience and knowledge. Brilliant Machiavellian choice by RG and co., actually—but one with unintended consequences.
I believe that as a) the CJ’s inexperience and reliance on problematic RG minions becomes increasingly apparent and b) top leadership deploys the likes of Kim Turner to tell the public and highly educated, ethical, experienced branch members how they all better bend over and like it, the ACJ will gain a lot of ground and increasing credibility with everyone, including the legislature. Its member numbers will swell, and the current branch governance structure will HAVE to change in order to survive and regain credibility. Right about now, it is a damn good thing the ACJ exists and has been moving towards the change.
However good or bad her intentions may be, a self-described novice is running the $4 billion show that is “The Largest Judiciary in the Western World”.
Just my opinion. I invite anyone to disagree.
judicialcouncilwatcher
February 25, 2011
The thing about being a judge or an appellate justice sitting beind a bench is that not a whole lot of candid public statements are made.
When one is the head of the largest judiciary in the western world, one has to press the flesh and make speeches. Along with these speeches and public statements comes the possibility that some individual into speech analysis will start to looking for patterns and might make a casual observation or two. What do I mean? Oh, something like a pattern of framing a sentence you don’t even believe yourself. For example, if I needed to spin the truth and present a different version of it, I might preceed a statement with a qualifier. My opinion, to me, I think, etc. Some individuals use qualifiers as a part of regular speech. Others only use them to preceed a statement they know to be untrue. Body and facial gestures can often serve to validate such an observation.
Michael Paul
February 26, 2011
Let me assist you with my patented horseshit debabulator.
You’re saying she doesn’t lie very well.
judicialcouncilwatcher
February 26, 2011
Subtleties and grace aren’t your strong hand. 😉