A note in our email directed us to this petition. This petition can be found at: http://signon.org/sign/disband-the-aoc-in-californi?source=c.fwd&r_by=4417014
“The Administrative Office of the Courts is a bureaucracy that was assembled to administer the California courts. But what the AOC has done is to siphon the budgetary moneys from the courts into its own pet projects even during extremely difficult budget times in California, including a nearly $1.5 billion computer system that never worked and has now been discontinued. The AOC began with a very limited staff and now employs nearly 400 people making over $100,000 each. Even with its motto “Access to Justice,” its existence and constant siphoning of court budgetary dollars has continually diminished access to justice for Californians by causing mass layoffs of court staff and also closing the courts in some counties for up to three weekdays a month. It’s an administrative office that administrates administrators and has no practical use in the court system. Closing the AOC would be a huge step towards helping settle the budgetary crisis in California and aiding the ailing courts by shifting money back into the courts and away from the AOC bureaucracy.”
wearyant
April 30, 2012
Everything said at this site rings true. Disband the AOC and see if anyone gives a damn — other than, of course, those sucking on the AOC teat. The funds designated for the judicial branch should completely bypass this sniveling bureaucracy.
Judicial Council Watcher
April 30, 2012
We’re glad to see JCW readers added about a hundred signatures to this petition thus far.
DLC
April 30, 2012
You have my vote get rid of them!
wearyant
April 30, 2012
YES !
unionman575
April 30, 2012
Signed!
=)
unionman575
April 30, 2012
Ah yes back to business as usual in the AOC construction game…
http://www.spwb.ca.gov/archives/agendas/documents/05-11-12_10-day.pdf
Meeting Notice for the May 11, 2012 State Public Works Board Meeting
CONSENT ITEM—1
JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA (0250)
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS
NEW SAN DIEGO CENTRAL COURTHOUSE
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
AOC Facility Number 37-L1
Authority: Sections 70371.5 and 70371.7 of the Government Code
Chapter 33, Statutes of 2011, Item 0250-301-3138 (11)
Consider approving:
a) preliminary plans
b) a reversion of project savings $7,075,000
CONSENT ITEM—2
JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA (0250)
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS
NEW STOCKTON COURTHOUSE
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY Project Number 91-39-001
Consider recognizing a scope change
CONSENT ITEM—3
JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA (0250)
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS
NEW SANTA BARBARA CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE (COUNTY MONITORING SITE)
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
AOC Facility Number 42-M1, DGS Parcel Number 10673
Authority: Sections 70371.5 and 70371.7 of the Government Code.
Consider authorizing acquisition
Wendy Darling
May 1, 2012
The CJ, the Judicial Council, and the AOC like to keep Mike Roddy happy.
Recall the Chief Justice.
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
May 1, 2012
Judge Herman is being remembered for his loyalty to the JC/AOC too.
Wow. This is the only transparency I’ve seen in this bloated run-away gov’t agency. So telling.
Alan Ernesto Phillips
May 1, 2012
Today is DAY 416 since Shasta County’s infamous 18 YEAR veteran assigned “judge” Jack Halpin abducted my daughter. Still no contact allowed. As just an indicator species, next to Tani, the equally CRIMINAL A.O.C. stands collusive in covering everything up… in so many sad cases. I am grateful to see this movement, and I signed… Keep up the good work everyone…
unionman575
May 1, 2012
http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/20120419-Los-Angeles-closure-announcement.pdf
unionman575
May 1, 2012
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/courtreporter/pdf/GeneralOrder.pdf
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/courtreporter/pdf/CourtReporterPolicy.pdf
Wendy Darling
May 1, 2012
Grey Goose, caviar, lobster, expensive overnight hotel stays, an IT project in the hundreds of millions that never worked and was mismanaged from day one, five hundred dollar lightbulbs, and overpriced shiny new courthouses that there isn’t money to pay to staff, are obviously far more important than open courtrooms, with a good judge, a baliff, and a court reporter. And there you have the unfathomable priorities of the Office of the Chief Justice, the Judicial Council, and the AOC – what currently passes for the “leadership” of the California Judicial Branch.
Recall the Chief Justice.
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
May 2, 2012
As the California superior courts shrink by almost half, how can the JC justify the continuing existence of the AOC in its present state? In boom times in California the AOC swelled in size, and no one seemed to notice the burgeoning blob of this despicable agency. Now, as we all are dealing with the crappy economic situation, the robust AOC has come under the radar, to the JC/AOC/CJ office’s chagrin. So — is the AOC justified in continuing its rape and pillage of the California court system? Will the California superior court judges finally rise up on their hind legs and help the Alliance of California Judges in this altruistic fight to save the judicial branch from this mess created by Empress Tani and her JC/AOC buddies? California citizens are truly suffering at this time, and this criminal regime set up by HRH-1 continues unabated. If ever I saw a probable RICO prosecution waiting in the wings, this is IT!
Disband the AOC. In the words of Pelosi when she said, pass the bill, then we’ll all read it and see what’s in it (gawd, what an idiot) — shut this horrid agency down, then we’ll see if anybody even notices they’re gone. Except, of course, all the public funds that would be freed up for the trial courts!
unionman575
May 1, 2012
https://recalltani.wordpress.com/
Recall the Chief Justice.
lando
May 2, 2012
Wendy how right you are. Please add to your list , Clark Kelso, “Scholars in Residence”, creating a PR arm for the JC/AOC including building a mini TV studio at the crystal palace, hiring 100 employees to provide judicial education when the CDAA has only 6 for a similar state wide function, allowing about 30 high paid managers to pay nothing toward their retirement, creating countless committees and advisory groups along with the the staff time to support them, hiring consultants, and Apple One temporary workers , allocating half a million dollars every year to the Center on State Courts, and providing yet to be revealed perks and favors to staff and “insiders” alike. When trial courts are struggling and valued trial court employees from clerks to court reporters to Commissioners are losing their jobs and trial courtrooms are closing we need the legislature to authorize a full and independent audit of the entire JC/AOC so the public can see just how significant the JC/AOC’s waste and bloat has become. We need to democratize the JC and recall the CJ .
Wendy Darling
May 2, 2012
And don’t forget to add the 100+ grossly overpaid, do-nothing lawyers in the AOC’s Office of General Counsel, who have all forgotten their ethical duty as State-paid attorneys.
Truly disgusting, isn’t it, Lando? Who would have ever thought that such shameful and abhorrent conduct would be the chosen path of judicial branch leadership and administration
Recall the Chief Justice.
Long live the ACJ..
lando
May 2, 2012
Wendy , your insights are always helpful in understanding the nature and depth of the problem we are confronted with. Thanks for all your significant contributions in this battle to restore balance, ethics, fiscal responsibility and democracy to our branch. No where else in our government do we have a governing structure of such power and size that is so insular and anti democratic. The results are predictable including the waste of billions of taxpayer dollars on CCMS, overstaffing at the crystal palace and overbuilt new courthouses , with much more waste to come. The insular anti-democratic JC / AOC power structure also gave us court closures and layoffs of now countless valued local court employees. Democratize the JC and recall the CJ .
Wendy Darling
May 2, 2012
It’s all of us, together, Lando, or none of us at all. Or, as in the words of Alexandre Dumas, “All for one, one for all.”
Recall the Chief Justice.
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
May 2, 2012
“No where else in our government do we have a governing structure of such power and size that is so insular and anti democratic.” Bingo!
katy
May 4, 2012
http://www.law.com/jsp/ca/PubArticleCA.jsp?id=1202552062683
Recorder, May 4, 2012
Judges Say Bench Watchdog Should Be on Shorter Leash
By Cheryl Miller
“SACRAMENTO — Tension between California’s jurists and the Commission on Judicial Performance? That’s nothing new. Fits of judicial pique against the watchdog panel have spiked and ebbed ever since state voters created it in 1960.
But 52 years later, frustration — one justice described it as “palpable anger” — with the 11-member commission has grown to such a high level that there’s now open, albeit cryptic, talk by two judges associations of forcing changes upon the disciplinary agency.
‘There seems to be a scope or mission creep to their work,” said California Judges Association President David Rubin, a San Diego trial court judge. “There seem to be significant instances of overdiscipline. And there seem at times to be issues of discipline for errors of law over real substantive violations of canons of ethics.’
The CJP appears to offer one of the few topics where the CJA and the Alliance of California Judges share similar views. Alliance Director Thomas Hollenhorst, a justice on the Fourth District Court of Appeal, echoed Rubin’s critiques and added what he said is judges’ growing resentment over a pointed tone in both the commission’s advisory letters and disciplinary proceedings.
‘What you’re hearing from judges is a concern over what appears to be an attempt to sort of rub judges’ noses in offenses,’ said Hollenhorst, who teaches judicial ethics and has served as a special master for the commission.
‘Everyone is very aware of the personal effect discipline has on judges,’ said seven-year commissioner Judith McConnell, the administrative presiding justice of the Fourth District. ‘The commissioners take their job very seriously.’ (no comment)
….Told about criticism that the CJP overcharges some judges, commissioners asked for specifics. But judges were reluctant to offer The Recorder examples of cases where they thought a jurist was disciplined too severely, often saying they didn’t want to embarrass a colleague.
Lawrence Simi, whose recent election as chair of the commission makes him the first layperson to lead it, declined to discuss the punishment. “I’d just invite you to look at the facts of the case,” he said….
Rubin would not discuss the CJA’s plans….’We’ve been working on a strategy to address these issues, not just for the judges’ benefit, but for the commission’s as well,’ he said.”
I don’t see any mention in this article regarding the public’s interest. Where is any mention of all the people who have filed legitimate complaints with the CJP and have received no help? Seems it would be wise to bring some other stakeholders to the table on this one, i.e. the public.