Today will be the last day of work for over a thousand court workers from across the state who will all lose their jobs so that a small number of courthouses can be built to replace a large number of courthouses and well over 200 courtrooms across the state being shuttered. As much as I would like to fault the governor and the legislature, the writing was on the wall when the value of real estate collapsed while the Judicial Council and AOC continued to spend unsustainably as if money grew on trees.
Much like a child that irresponsibly burns his allowance on candy instead of something material that they worked hard to achieve, the parents needed to step in and redirect the childs allowance. And they didn’t go far enough. Those in power have said time and again that they are an independent third branch, that they can keep their fiscal house in order, that preserving access to justice, transparency and accountability are all cornerstones of the new Cantil-Sakauye administration. And yet we see time after time that the deeds committed by those who speak these words tell another version of the truth. That they have no intention of preserving access to justice, that transparency does not exist under rule 10.5 and that while no one has ever been held responsible for this significant list of misdeeds and mismanagement, they tout accountability.
Please take a moment to reflect on your fellow workers whose lives will be devastated by those in power and be sure to thank them for their service.
Nathaniel Woodhull
September 14, 2012
It is very hard to watch so many dedicated people walk out the doors of our courthouses.
Given their talents, I know that they will be able to get jobs despite the tight market out there.
I hope those within the Crystal Palace are unable to sleep at night knowing that they are responsible for this travesty.
Wendy Darling
September 14, 2012
Unfortunately, General Woodhull, they sleep just fine. They see nothing wrong with anything they have done, and the Grey Goose martinis they quaff while toasting themselves and their good work help put them into coma of oblivion at night.
Long live the ACJ.
disgusted
September 14, 2012
Does anyone have a breakdown of where these layoffs are occurring and which positions?
Frank Bodden
September 14, 2012
About 41 have been here in San Diego. Something like 31 actual layoffs and 11 offered a bonus to retire early. Let’s place the blame where it belongs: The geniuses who changed the retirement system and gave away the store in 2001 or 2002. Court reporters falling under those new changes will be retiring on 80-100% of their salaries, which is great for them. But how did the brilliant people who instituted the changes expect to pay for it?
Guest
September 14, 2012
The cj should appoint a committee to study how many rank and file court staff could be saved if the new AOC Director wasn’t double dipping his salary and if incompetent boot lickers like David Yamasaki were paid a proper salary, or even better paid on the value they bring to their court and the Branch. Maybe this committe would find that no Court staff would need to be laid off while new courthouses could still be built if needed?
courtflea
September 14, 2012
We shall never forget. This. either.
Robert Turner
September 14, 2012
I agree with disgusted. It would be nice to see a breakdown of the jobs lost by court. It there are indeed 1,000 court employees across this state losing their jobs today, and I have no reason to doubt the JCW, my heart goes goes out to every one of them. I have been in their shoes for the same reason and would tell them all to keep their heads up. They didn’t do anything wrong and did their jobs with honor.
Where is the press on this terrrible news?
Ron Branson
September 14, 2012
Judges Running a For Profit Business
“Judges” running a private “for Profit” business out of which they own called “Courthouse Corporation” which are posing as public property which are floating bonds and making them hundreds of millions of dollars at taxpayer’s expense.
In my promotion under the First Amendment of cause JAIL4Judges in Van Nuys, CA. on “Courthouse Property,” I was run off by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office because I was told that I was “trespassing on private property.” The First Amendment distribution of material does not apply to private property.
One of the Sheriff’s Deputies later told me that one of the judges noticed he had one of my printed materials in his pocket, and the judge aggressively approached him and snatched the material out of his pocket and strongly chided him for possessing such material. I noted that this Deputy was quite shaken because of this incident by this judge. The Deputy acted as though he was forbidden to talk with me even though I was standing outside the boundary of the private courthouse property distributing literature.
Ron Branson
VictoryUSA @ jail4judges.org
Judges SLUSH Funds Illegal ? part 1 – YouTube
Received from
Arnie Rosner
Recording performed by William Wagner
Documentation provided by Dr. Shirley Moore
unionman575
September 14, 2012
I encourage anyone that has an interest in Mr. Branson’s situation should visit his website that he listed here for us all. Thank you sir.
Enough about his speciific case. Thank you again.
Now back to business here with our ongoing and long running discussion about the need for reform in the Death Star.
😉
courtflea
September 14, 2012
at the risk of blowing my nom de plume can you guys send me some good energy. My partner is very ill. thank you so much. I know that is not what this blog is for but you all are like my family. Thanks.
Wendy Darling
September 14, 2012
You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers, Flea. Keep us posted on how things are going.
wearyant
September 14, 2012
Hey, Flea, I was just thinking about you today … I’m at wearyant@hushmail.com if you’d drop a line, I’d feel honored. I know you have more important things goin’ though. Good Energy comin’ your way! My hubby seems to have a direct line in when he prays. 😉
JusticeCalifornia
September 15, 2012
best wishes, flea.
Michael Paul
September 15, 2012
Best wishes & positive energy towards a quick recovery for your partner courtflea
Curious
September 15, 2012
Ditto, Court Flea.
Official
September 15, 2012
Good energy comin’ your way! Hope all is well.
Been There
September 16, 2012
Good thoughts and prayers for you and your partner, Flea.
Sue
September 14, 2012
November 1 San Diego will be losing all civil court reporters and a total of 29 reporters will be laid off countywide but we will be getting a brand new courthouse by 2016!!! What a grand state we live in.
unionman575
September 14, 2012
Another Friday night special news flash from the Death Star…
http://www.courts.ca.gov/19074.htm
12 New Judicial Council Members To Take Office September 15
FOR RELEASE
Contact: Leanne Kozak, 916-263-2838
September 14, 2012
12 New Judicial Council Members To Take Office September 15
SAN FRANCISCO—Twelve new Judicial Council members will officially take office September 15, 2012, including nine new members and three reappointments. Chaired by Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, the Judicial Council is the administrative policymaking body of state courts.
“About a third of the Judicial Council membership turns over each year,” said the Chief Justice. “This practice allows for broad representation on the council among branch leaders, promotes diversity, and brings a fresh perspective to our discussions and decision-making process. Together we do not represent one constituency or viewpoint. We represent all Californians, and our goal is to strive for equal access to justice for all.”
In addition, each year more than 400 judges and justices and representatives from justice system partners volunteer to serve on council advisory committees and task forces. These advisory groups are responsible for developing many of the ideas, proposals, and potentially branchwide policies that come before the council.
The new voting members on the Judicial Council are Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst, Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District (reappointed as a voting member for a new three-year term); Judge James R. Brandlin, Superior Court of Los Angeles County; Presiding Judge Sherrill A. Ellsworth, Superior Court of Riverside County; Mr. James P. Fox, Attorney at Law (Retired); and Presiding Judge David Rosenberg, Superior Court of Yolo County. Judge Rosenberg currently serves as an advisory member.
The new advisory members are Presiding Judge Laurie M. Earl, Superior Court of Sacramento County; Judge Allan D. Hardcastle, Superior Court of Sonoma County; Judge Morris D. Jacobson, Superior Court of Alameda County; Presiding Judge Brian L. McCabe, Superior Court of Merced County; Ms. Mary Beth Todd, Court Executive Officer, Superior Court of Sutter County; Judge Charles D. Wachob, Superior Court of Placer County; and Judge Kenneth K. So, Superior Court of San Diego County. Judge So, a current voting member, has been reappointed to a one-year term as an advisory member.
Presiding Judge McCabe and Judges Jacobson and Wachob will fill new advisory positions approved by the Judicial Council in May 2012 to expand the geographical diversity of the council and gain input from a wide spectrum of judicial officers.
Created by the state Constitution and chaired by Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye, the Judicial Council consists of the Chief Justice, 14 judicial members appointed by the Chief Justice, 4 attorney members appointed by the State Bar Board of Governors, 1 member from each house of the Legislature, and 11 advisory members. The Administrative Director of the Courts serves as secretary to the council.
###
unionman575
September 14, 2012
wearyant
September 14, 2012
“These days are not court holidays, so statutory deadlines will not be extended.”
Where do they (court admin) get off doing this?! The statutory deadlines should be extended if the idiotic admin does this. Here’s hoping attys sue! Thanks for posting, Unionman575.
Ventura courts should put an “In ‘n’ Out” sign outside their stupid drop box.
Lando
September 15, 2012
A sad day and many more to come. Thanks to the Judicial Council and AOC wasting millions on their building an anti-democratic empire, hundreds of caring and dedicated trial court employees all over the state are out of work. These great people are my friends and I feel for the hardships they have been suffering. I for one walk though our clerks office at least three times a week as I care deeply about my court and our employees. What I see are vacant desks, overworked clerks, stacks of paper, long lines in family law and traffic court and unhappy citizens trying to get service. On the bench, I don’t get court files, lawyers filings, or orders.That will only get worse in the next 6 months when vital services are eliminated at all levels of the court. Honestly we are a shell of the court we once were. Meantime , the AOC promotes the very people responsible for this mess, increases their salaries and refuses to even recall an OGC lawyer from Europe. I don’t really know how the Chief Justice and the guardians of the crystal palace J Miller and J Hull can be so arrogant and uncaring about the reality around them. I guess when you live in a tower you can be above it all and make arbitrary dictates which all are expected to follow. Transparent, open and new? Tell that to everyone that lost their job today and the public that suffers as a result.
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
I can’t believe that the State Legislature and the Attorney General’s Office won’t investigate this mess, and hold those responsible accountable.
Long live the ACJ.
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
Serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians, Lando and OBT.
The OBT
September 15, 2012
Interesting contrasts. While loyal decades long employees of the trial courts lose their jobs, Judicial Council insider, Justice Hull spends his time delaying any reasonable request for information about major Judicial Council AOC decisions. The incredible thing is that people like Justice Hull could care less about the closing of courthouses, the terminations of trial court employees including court clerks and Commissioners and the closure of small claims courts the firings of court reporters.Thanks Justice Hull. You should be very proud of your contributions to securing your arbitrary power at the expense of the trial courts and the people we serve.
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
Not even during The Great Depression did this happen, OBT.
But then, those running the California Judicial Branch during the Great Depression had integrity and honored their public duty. Now? We have CCMS, obscene court contruction projects while courts are closing all over the state, obfuscation, lying, non-existent ethics, and people running the branch who like to give themselves awards and name buildings after themselves. Current branch administration isn’t fit to lick the boots of their parents and grandparents.
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
September 15, 2012
Very well said, Wendy Darling, very well said. There’s a moral code that seems to have not survived from the Greatest Generation to the next generation. Our courts made it intact through the Great Depression! That fact is exhilarating and terribly sad to note at the same time!
Ron Branson
September 16, 2012
Back during the first Depression of 1929, the doctrine of judicial immunity was not a commonly relied upon doctrine. In its infancy, It was used only in a couple of cases to cover for butts of a couple of judges. However, today, judicial immunity is urged every time a judge’s conduct is called in question on constitutional grounds.
What we have in practice today is the final conclusion of the finding of Lord Acton, “Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Since judges absolutely flee to reliance on judicial immunity, and they are all in this together, we can only expect more evil and and growing corruption!
Ron Branson
VictoryUSA @ jail4judges.org
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
That moral code was called “ethics”, Ant. And its absence in current judicial branch administration is what is at the root of the current state of disgrace the branch is now in.
A wise person once told me that ethics is what happens when you think no one is looking. And it’s a lot like transparency: you know it when you see it . . . and when you don’t. And when one looks at current judicial branch administration, from the Office of the Chief Justice on down, one doesn’t see either ethics or transparency, only the pretense of it.
Just like The Emperor’s, or Empress’, new clothes.
Long live the ACJ.
Wendy Darling
September 16, 2012
There is no judicial immunity for conduct or actions done in an administrative capacity. Such as administrative actions of the Office of the Chief Justice and/or the Judicial Council.
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
September 15, 2012
Wendy, when I retire I will make it my full time unpaid job to lobby the legislature about the mess at 455 Golden Gate. I am also hoping to organize recall campaigns against the Chief, J Miller and J Hull who are collectively destroying the once proud California judicial branch.
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
Lando: Please take me with you to the State Legislature, and I hereby volunteer for those recall campaigns. And I mean it.
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
September 15, 2012
Take me with you. I will assist in any way I can Lando & Wendy.
😉
Lando
September 15, 2012
Wendy, You and I will be a great team to reform this train wreck. I think many others will join us if the right structure for reform is set forth. From my perspective sitting on assignment or working for JAMs takes a back seat to working toward bringing democracy to 455 Golden Gate and hopefully thanking and excusing those that have so undermined our branch like J Rosenberg, J Miller , the Chief Justice, and my absolute arrogant fav, J Hull ! Only then will real reform finally take hold.
courtflea
September 15, 2012
I bet the courts via ANOTHER survey had to report the impact of funding cuts for their court to the AOC. Hey JCW you can do a public information inquiry for this info! 🙂
courtflea
September 15, 2012
thank you all for your kind thoughts.
Wendy you hit it spot on with the state of court administration.
unionman575
September 15, 2012
http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/09/15/50316.htm
Saturday, September 15, 2012Last Update: 2:12 PM PT
Top-Loaded AOC Perk Cut Back
By MARIA DINZEO
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) – A pension perk rewarding the top tier of California’s court bureaucracy with a 22% taxpayer-paid contribution is set to be cut back sharply October 1st.
“Those receiving the benefit now will be grandfathered in but their employer pickup will be capped at 5% of their salary,” said a spokesman for the central court administrative office in an email on Thursday.
The new incoming director, Judge Steven Jahr, will get no contribution on top of his pay, as will be true of all new hires. But three of the top administrators from the former regime who were recently promoted by Jahr will continue to receive a reduced pension perk of 5% on top of salary.
The high pension contribution of 22.5% on top of pay was reserved for the top 30 court administrators. It had brought pointed criticism from legislators and judges after it was revealed last year.
A pension plan that gives a super-benefit to the top bosses of an agency or a company is outlawed under federal statutes. But state governments are exempt from that law.
A spokesman for the administrative office noted that the top-loaded pension system has not been limited to his office but has extended to the legislative and executive branches in California, as well as a majority of the head clerks in local trial courts.
The court administrative office’s top-loaded plan was revealed in April 2011 when the general counsel for the administrative agency, Mary Roberts, sent a letter to Judge Daniel Goldstein in San Diego.
“The overall contribution rate for AOC’s executive employees is 22.528%,” said the letter, that included a list of the top 30 administrators who were receiving that contribution on top of their salaries, all paid by the taxpayers.
The pension plan then became ammunition in the ongoing battle by trial judges to reform the administrative office that, among many other criticized policies, had transferred hundreds of millions of dollars out of trial court trust funds to pay for an ambitious software system that was ultimately abandoned.
A Senate budget sub-committee chaired by Senator Loni Hancock in May 2012 ordered the court bureaucracy to cut an additional $4 million from the judiciary’s budget and submit a report in September on how those savings would be achieved. The Department of Finance had recommended that the administrative office put the elimination of the pension perk toward that $4 million cut, and Hancock’s committee agreed.
“Certainly those who are now getting a hundred percent, who may be among the higher paid employees, I think ought to be contributing the same as the average court workers,” said Hancock at the time. “I think that part of the proposal would be very good.”
As required by Hancock’s committee, the Administrative Office of the Courts submitted its report to the legislature by the September deadline. While the report discussed fee increases and layoffs, the top-loaded pension perk was not addressed.
“They apparently said they couldn’t get anywhere near the savings by closing the pension loophole,” Hancock spokesperson Larry Levin said earlier this week.
Pressure on the pension plan continued to build during the week.
In reference to the administrative office’s plan, H.D. Palmer from the California Department of Finance said on Thursday that controlling pension costs for state agencies “is still of interest to the administration.” He cited Governor Jerry Brown’s action last week in signing statewide pension reform legislation.
Also on Thursday of last week, legislator Hancock said, “I remain concerned about this issue and I’m looking forward to the Judicial Council developing an equitable employee retirement contribution policy for all its employees that is more appropriate to the difficult financial condition that all state agencies are facing.”
Senator Hancock’s staff then followed up with the court administrative office. The result was that the administrative office was going to report back to Hancock’s committee in October for its review of the pension policy.
At 5:00 on Thursday afternoon, a spokesman for the administrative office wrote an email saying, “The Senate budget committee asked the Chief Justice to look at contributions provided to executive-level employees (in which the employer pays the employees’ share of a retirement plan.) She has. She has decided to terminate the practice of pension pick-up benefit for staff hired after October 1.”
The email also noted that those executives currently receiving the benefit would be “grandfathered” into a reduced pension contribution from the state of 5%.
Among the beneficiaries of the old system are ex-director Bill Vickrey and ex-director chief deputy Ron Overholt, who controlled the administrative office for many years and were considered responsible for the direction the agency had taken.
An inquiry with CalPERS revealed that Overholt who retired earning $221,000 a year now collects $69,000 a year for life. Vickrey, who made roughly $227,000 a year when he retired in 2011, now collects a pension of almost $100,000 a year for life.
😉
unionman575
September 15, 2012
FY 12-13 (COURT) CEO Salary & Retirement Data
unionman575
September 15, 2012
Mary “The Lizard” Roberts letter
Curious
September 15, 2012
Speaking generally of course: Don’t you love the way their responses to information requests (those that they grant) are couched in the most defensive terms, like a legal brief trying to excuse conduct, by pointing fingers, saying “but some trial courts do it too!” Rather than simply being straightforward and granting the request, they insist on editorializing. They anticipate the use to which the damaging information might be put, and try to point out in the response that the person asking for the information risks embarrassment by disseminating the information. The office of OGC, in my humble opinion, has become entirely politicized. Didn’t the SEC report mention that that office has positioned itself not as a legal advisor, but as a policy maker?
This is an absolutely standard AOC tactic. Ask a question, and they point to somebody else they claim is ALSO doing it. Almost seems designed to silence critics.
This approach of taking shots at the trial courts also carries over into legislation:
People as for whistleblower laws aimed at AOC, they say “Fine, let’s include the trial courts.”
People asked for a public information law like the California Public Records Act that would apply to the AOC, and they say “Fine, let’s drag the trial courts in.” Poison pills. As in “If we’re going down, we’re taking the trial courts with us.” Standard bullying. They have used this tactic on layoffs and raises as well, ignoring the fact that the trial courts often are bound by labor contracts, while the AOC employees are at will.
Quite a crew up there.
Robert Turner
September 15, 2012
Thanks for that story unionman. Way to go Department of Finance and Senator Hancock for ending this disgraceful perk for the top execs. Execs who spent way too much taxpayer money when they said consolidating the courts (ending the muni courts) would decrease the need for administration. The fact is they used the good will with the legislature and govenment from consolidation like drunken sailors with unlimited credit cards. CCMS for 2 billion dollars? Sure lets do it. 5 billion on new courthouse spending during the worst recession since the great depression? Sure lets do it. We’ll call it stimulus. We’ll be long gone and won’t be left paying back the money on those bonds. Stupid CA citizens.
These former so called “leaders” clearly don’t give a crap about CA. Vickrey took his $100,000 for life and left the state. So did Ron Overhold with his $69,000. Yet Tani named JC conterence center after Vickrey even after the CA legislature demanded his resignation. Why? I think Vickrey’s greatest legacy is giving raises to all the muni court judges by making them into Superior Court judges. How exactly did that help CA citizens? (sorry judges- don’t pull punches).
Doesn’t anyone else think it is odd that the then acting Chief (Ron George) played a huge part in selecting his successor. It’s succession planning by a group who feels their vision is 100% right and how dare anyone question it. Those who do are just “ants on a rail’ to them. How does that make you feel Legislature and Department of Finance? Good to see you’re waking up some to the arrogance of the CA Court’s top brass.
Tani also continues to keep Jodi Patel, Curt Soderlund, and Curt Child in her inner circle all of whom were a part of these scandals with CCMS, the expansion of the AOC, AOC pay raises, construction mismangement, and in Curt Childs case he was likely the one who tried to remove the PJ’s local power through that sneaky trailer bill. Is that reforming the AOC’s culture like the SEC report called for? No way! It’s a joke and it’s time the other two branches start getting tougher with Tani on everything. Don’t trust her or her hand picked JC. Question every dollar spent. Audit every business practice. Ask about qualifications to be a court administrator, to be a court manager, to be a director. That’s the duty of the other two branches. CA’s citizens can’t afford another decade of being screwed by greedy court administrators who care more about their “vision” of CA Courts than the actual people of CA. And a majority of CA judges need to start thinking about their staff and not just about themselves.
Thank you Courthouse News for covering this story. It would be nice if more media did.
unionman575
September 15, 2012
Yes Yes Yes! Thanks you Mr. Turner.
“Question every dollar spent. Audit every business practice. Ask about qualifications to be a court administrator, to be a court manager, to be a director. That’s the duty of the other two branches. CA’s citizens can’t afford another decade of being screwed by greedy court administrators who care more about their “vision” of CA Courts than the actual people of CA. And a majority of CA judges need to start thinking about their staff and not just about themselves. “
disgusted
September 15, 2012
“And a majority of CA judges need to start thinking about their staff and not just about themselves. “
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
And a majority of judges need to remember their public duty and start thinking about what is good for the branch, and not just about what is good for their careers.
Long live the ACJ.
Frank Bodden
September 15, 2012
I have been retired from the San Diego Superior Court for 13 years, so none of this affects me directly, but my heart goes out to the reporters and other personnel who have lost their jobs. I just wanted to point out that many of the judges are upset with losing their reporters. I spoke to one I have known since his days in the DA’s office, who hears civil cases, and he lost his reporter and is very upset about it and what is happening. So, please, not all judges should be lumped together as being heartless. Many of our bench are former DA’s who have known the reporters since they were young DA’s and the reporters were young reporters. The whole thing is just sad.
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
“So, please, not all judges should be lumped together as being heartless.”
They aren’t Frank. Many of those here on JCW know that there are good, ethical, honorable judges in the branch who are devasted by what is happening. And we recognize the courageous and commendable efforts of the Alliance of California Judges. But many more judges choose to remain silent, concerned what will happen not only to them but also to their courts if they step up and speak out, and it is no secret that retaliation by the AOC and current branch administration is a reality for those that dare to come forward. At the end of the day, however, they are elected constitutional officers, and meaningful change will not come to 455 Golden Gate Avenue until and unless the trial court judges unite to democratize the branch and DEMAND accountablity for the mess the branch is in.
They took an oath. It is their public duty. The California Judicial Branch belongs to all of us.
Long live the ACJ.
Frank Bodden
September 15, 2012
Wendy, “Darling” is not a common last name. Are you related to Dawn Darling?
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
Not that I know of, Frank.
Frank Bodden
September 15, 2012
Okay. The reason I ask is Dawn Darling, back in the 90’s, was the enforcement arm of the CSR Board in Sacramento.
Wendy Darling
September 15, 2012
Well, there wasn’t a Dawn in the last family reunion two years ago, so if she’s part of the family tree, we haven’t discovered her yet!
unionman575
September 15, 2012
Robert Turner
September 16, 2012
I meant no personal offense to you with my comments Mr. Bodden. I admire where your heart is. It is very nice to see your concern. I just wish there were many more judges like you. There is a minority of judges (the ACJ) who have spoken out for some time now and they deserve great credit for their courage. My point is they should not be a minority any longer. They should be the majority and by a large margin at this point. The CJA should be the minorty judges group in CA as it failed to speak out for 10-15 years.
The Chief at the meeting in Monterey should be faced with an angry roomfull of trial court judges and appellate court justices who are sick of the BS by their top leaders in the AOC. They should see through it by now. Judges should demand Tani clean house there at the AOC or they will really turn on her to protect the branch. Those judges would have to remember their oaths are made to the Constitution of CA not to the Chief Justice. They could each and collectively speak directly to the Legislature and Governor and the press to demand HUGE changes to the AOC to save courts at the local level where the public goes for justice. The Chief should be reminded from within the branch that the AOC can go away. It is not essential to the CA Courts functioning at the local levels or for the Court of Appeals or CA Supreme Court to function. The Chief also risks the Supreme Court being forced to move back to Sacramento where the justices can become reaquinted with the other branches who are co-equal and not beholden to the courts to house them in SF under the CA Constitution. That would be a very humbling move but perhaps is long overdue to remind the folks at the top that CA’s public can’t afford their wasteful spending.
Even if the current Chief agrees with her appointee’s vision of a centralized CA Courts as a good idea in theory she should begin to make concessions that it did not work in reality. Ron George’s vision of a more efficient centralized CA Courts has completely failed in it’s implementation. It has left CA with no e-filing for cases in most courts because CCMS was a very expensive failure. Has resulted in a thousand layoffs of local court employees, the closure of hundreds of courtrooms, the actual closure of several branch courthouses around the state, the reduction of court hours in most courts, shameful pay/retirement packages for top execs, and has burdened the next generation with more debt for new courthouses to come we can’t afford to staff let alone maintain. That is a completely failed vision for more efficient and effective CA Courts because it never took into account the boom and bust nature of CA’s funding. It assumes stable and growing funding forever which we had for a few years there with the housing boom but was always an illusion to maintain long term. That’s the fiscal reality.
CA’s judges (each one a Constitutional Officer), CA’s Legislature (the people’s elected representatives), and the Governor (the people’s elected Executive) should have had it by now with these scandals pushed from the very top of the branch through the Judicial Council. Every CA attorney also has a duty to speak up as “officers of the court” to remind the Chief that the centralized vision has failed and priorities have to change radically as it is not in the interest of their clients. The Chief still does not get how failed Ron/Bill’s “vision” for CA Court is in the real world!!! It’s as if she’s telling her critics to eat cake and stop complaining. That’s what I hear when she acts like problems identified in the SEC report are all in the past and gives out “kudos” to the same AOC execs at JC meetings. It is a complete denial of reality.
The CA judges most of all have a duty to speak up. Instead Tani will likely face a room in Monterey packed full of supporters (justices) who are all pleased to be there on their tax payer subsidized perk trip. The shameful perks for team players continue be given out and the debt left for the regular people of CA mounts. If prop 30 fails in November look out CA judges/justices/court employees for the Governor and Legislature will be truely desperate to find money and make cuts. A scandal wridden court system with a new out of touch Chief appointed by a morally disgraced Governor who cowardly cheated on his wife (a Kennedy no less) will have little clout with a new governor from the other party who is openly cheap and a truly cash strapped legislature. The legislature’s members are and will be either beholden to the unions for their jobs or adamantly opposed to taxes. They will have no choice but to make cuts to CA government anywhere they can to spare the schools more pain. Those political realists in the other branches would gladly cut the AOC with their unrepresented staff over the represented staff of the trial courts and you should agree with them as well because admin is not as critical as operations staff. Ron’s George’s vision of a centrally run CA Courts run by the “experts” in San Francisco is the only thing that doesn’t fit and is ending. The CA public doesn’t want to pay for it.
unionman575
September 16, 2012
“….admin is not as critical as operations staff”.
The JC needs to hear that and every Trial Court CEO in CA needs to hear that.
;Mr. Turner you are on target! Thank you sir!
😉
wearyant
September 16, 2012
“The Chief should be reminded from within the branch that the AOC can go away. It is not essential to the CA Courts functioning at the local levels or for the Court of Appeals or CA Supreme Court to function.”
====================
Music to my ears! Thanks for the fine post, Robert Turner.
Wendy Darling
September 16, 2012
Well said, Robert Turner. Very, very well said.
courtflea
September 16, 2012
Wendy, aren’t your relatives Michael, George, Mary, and John? And your friends Peter, Tinkerbell, and the lost boys? 😉
Rock on Robert!
Wendy Darling
September 16, 2012
Well, almost correct, Flea. The lost boys are more of acquaintances. Considereing the modern day representations of the lost boys would be Vickrey, Overholt, Fuentes, Couch, Soderlund, Curtis Child, and the like, one wouldn’t want to consider them “friends.” 🙂
disgusted
September 16, 2012
Maybe they’ll call it the Brown Bullet. Yes, we desperately need this train to get to our court/other nonexistent jobs up and down the coast. Oh, that’s right, this will create so many more jobs. Maybe we can all work for the railroad.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/07/high_speed_rail_california_billion.php
unionman575
September 16, 2012
I call it the “BK Train”. All aboard!
😉
disgusted
September 16, 2012
disgusted
September 16, 2012
<—— Changes name to Sarcastic One this morning.
AOC drooling: Damn, Guv Brown, for a mere $6 billion we may have been able to complete our CCMS.
wearyant
September 16, 2012
This is still ringing in my ears re CCMS: “We were so close!” “.. with just a click of a mouse …”
[gag, barf, hurl!]
courtflea
September 16, 2012
Wendy ok lets scratch the lost boys. with friends like that who needs enemies!!
Lando
September 17, 2012
As we start a new week on the heels of the sad events in San Diego, I ask again what has the AOC done to cut back? As far as I can see nothing at all. What cutbacks have been made at OGC? Given the SEC report how does Mary Roberts still have a job? There is no evidence the telecommuting European lawyer has been returned to 455 Golden Gate. Since no OGC lawyer actually litigates matters in a courtroom ( of course that would be hard to do from Switzerland) one wonders why their unit is so large. I still haven’t figured out why lawyers work over at the judicial education unit since the actual teachers are volunteer judges. Then there is Mr Child. A lobbyist/ lawyer who got promoted to
run this mess. Is his new salary higher than his former position ? Does the AOC plan to replace his lobbying? job at some inflated waste of money salary ? I am quite sure no official answers to these questions will be returned here and if I send an email to the AOC they will punt to the good Justice Hull who requires all questions to be put to him in writing via the Pony express not through email. That certainly makes sense ..Thanks Justice Hull for coming up with that arbitrary nonsense. So instead of spending 5 minutes preparing an email I will have to spend next Saturday finding my old IBM typewriter in the basement, going to Target or Staples for typewriting paper and envelopes and then to the post office to wait in a long line for stamps so that I can then prepare a ” hardcopy” inquiry and then put it in the US mail to Justice Hull. Incredible. Thats the new face of the judicial Council. Open, transparent and arbitrary.My guess is that if I worked for any media outlet I could send Ms Kozak or Mr Finke an email which would be addressed eventually. Sounds like Justice Hull is treating certain groups more arbitrarily without cause and with bias. Just what you want in a Court of Appeal Justice. Is anyone in the legislature seeing this because , You can’t make this stuff up. Really.
Wendy Darling
September 17, 2012
Lando: You might consider putting a “cc” on that letter to Maria Dinzeo and Bill Girdner at Courthouse News, and Cheryl Miller at The Recorder. Maybe it would speed things up a bit in getting a response. 🙂
And yes, the Legislature is “seeing” all of this. They just don’t care to do anything about it.
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
September 17, 2012
http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/09/17/50344.htm
No, the above link doesn’t have anything to do really with the AOC/JC/CJ. But it does show that the Feds are aware that San Diego does in fact exist. Also, I think a RICO case involving the California judiciary branch is more compelling to the issue in San Diego or El Cajon the Feds were addressing. What will get the Feds moving? Money? Kickbacks? Public funds misappropriation? High office? A RICO investigation is warranted. Hello? Anybody out there?