February 16, 2012
Dear Members and Others:
Here’s what the article had to say about the AOC’s incorrect but oft-repeated claim that the passage of AB 1208 would result in 58 “fiefdoms,” and harm the Council’s ability to pass uniform rules of practice and procedure:
Far from truly “decentralized,” the judiciary also wouldn’t return to
the days when there were 58 completely independent trial courts – called
“fiefdoms” by some. The “California Rules of Court” that create a
uniform system of paper forms and procedural policies will remain in
effect. Services like self-help centers and drug courts are unlikely to
go by the wayside. And the current scheme for determining how much money
each county receives would remain intact…
…One thing is certain: AB 1208 would sharply curtail the Judicial
Council’s ability to keep investing in the Court Case Management System,
a long-term, $2 billion project to link court dockets electronically that
some trial court judges say wastes money.
As for that case management system, Maria Dinzeo of the Courthouse News Service has completed a detailed examination of the recent claim by the AOC and members of the Judicial Council that “CCMS is finished and works.” Given the length of the article, we will keep our comments to a minimum. http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/02/16/43967.htm
As independent constitutional officers, judges have a responsibility to examine the facts themselves before they accept representations as truthful. No matter how strongly one may feel obliged to support judicial leadership and “speak with one voice,” when that one voice attempts to pass off inaccurate information as “facts,” it reflects poorly on the entire branch. The following article, though disturbing, is one that every judge should read.
Sincerely,
Directors
Alliance of California Judges
Related Article
- Court Funding needs an overhaul ( McMaster & White / Sacbee.com )
- ‘Finished’ Court IT Project to Cost State 100s of Millions for Years
Judicial Council Watcher 
Michael Paul
February 20, 2012
You have to give credit where credit is due. These people (AOC Management) can manage to stay on message in an effort to try to hoodwink everyone else that they preach the gospel. They’re willing enough, dumb enough and brave enough to attack anyone that confronts them with facts.
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Joseph Goebbels
anna
February 21, 2012
Great Quote
Thanks will use it in a brief.
Wendy Darling
February 20, 2012
The similiarity to strategies employed by Nazi Germany and the conduct and tactics going on at 455 Golden Gate Avenue isn’t lost on us.
And, sadly, truth is indeed “the greatest enemy” of the current administration of the Office of the Chief Justice, the Judicial Council, and the AOC.
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
February 20, 2012
“No matter how strongly one may feel obliged to support judicial leadership and “speak with one voice,” when that one voice attempts to pass off inaccurate information as “facts,” it reflects poorly on the entire branch.”
As a member of the branch, I couldn’t agree more!
Nathaniel Woodhull
February 21, 2012
Die CCMS-System funktioniert und ist gut für alle!
Nicht über alle damit verbundenen Kosten zu kümmern.
Wendy Darling
February 21, 2012
Very clever, General Woodhull!
Long live the ACJ.
Willard Vandiver
February 21, 2012
CCMS V4 works in which court? I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and democrats. Frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.
Nathaniel Woodhull
February 22, 2012
Willard,
My prior entry was a joke son… Wendy, the star of stars gets it!
CCMS does not really even exist, let alone work. Even the former Kool-Aid drinkers in Orange County are finally coming out to admit that what they are running is not really “CCMS” and would not work anywhere else that doesn’t have their $50 mil. server.
Many in San Diego are finally speaking up, now that they are no longer under the reign of their former PJ Kenneth So, who told them to keep their mouths shut about how awful the probate function for CCMS has been. If you really want to follow the money, ask why San Diego leap-frogged many needy courts to mysteriously qualify for a huge new court house when they were not even on the urgent need list. Pay-to-play, that’s the JC/AOC way!
Nat
Judicial Council Watcher
February 22, 2012
Pay to play indeed. ECCC leapfrogs everyone from not even being on the likely to be built list to the third courthouse completed, Bruniers becomes a justice & CCMS cheerleader, O’Malley does an op-ed about the importance of replacing dilapidated courthouses and San Diego, a vociferous, vocal supporter of CCMS that is not even on the courthouse replacement list jumps to the front of the half-billion dollar courthouse line. Then they start telling the truth about CCMS…..
If anyone was paying attention to bond money well… the program is getting bigger but the bond sales aren’t. So it is beginning to flush out that some loyal courts on that list in desperate need aren’t going to be getting courthouses. Musical chairs. Everyone sing the praises of the AOC and when the music stops – who will be sitting in a new courthouse?
All of this is being orchestrated so the AOC has awesome future claw back capabilities in the form of (some future centralized) case management system. Now you know why we’ve advocated the sweeping of all construction funds – so that those that really need courthouses eventually get them.
unionman575
February 22, 2012
Yes ALL construction funds should have been swept.
AOC Tracker
February 22, 2012
In a repeat of their failed 2010 performance, Deloitte lobbyists working alongside AOC lobbyists, Curt Childs and Company, joined up in 2011 to convince legislators that CCMS does exist and that 1208 shouldn’t. Secretary of State records for 2011 show Deloitte back at it again, but this time lobbying against 1208. Readers may recall the failed effort in 2010 when Ron George, Vickrey and AOC lobbyist Childs joined Deloitte lobbyists in an effort to kill the BSA audit. The unseemly pairing of Deloitte paid lobbyists, the new CJ and Childs back at it for round 2 makes my skin crawl.
Curious
February 23, 2012
I would love to see the documents re: Deloitte lobbying against 1208. Tracker, can you give me a heads up on how to search them out? Thanks.
Curious
unionman575
February 23, 2012
Makes my skin crawl too!
Wendy Darling
February 23, 2012
And the skin of many others as well.
unionman575
February 23, 2012
Deloitte is greasing down everyboy in sight. It’s all about the money. They have ripped us all off with a shitty product that will NEVER run.
unionman575
February 23, 2012
Every time the AOC comes up with a new spending plan to treat themselves to first class amenities, I plan on giving them a fact check of my own.