Coming in after the budget was a budget trailer bill. SB 75 (link) calls for, among other items, an audit to see how the old state court system is currently implementing public contract code. Starting on page 36 of the budget trailer bill it outlines that the state auditor shall conduct an audit of the AOC commencing on or before July 1,2013, which we believe should be thorough and go back at least five years. Unfortunately, it will likely just cover the short period between when the code was applied to the AOC’s operations and the date of the audit.
A really fascinating aspect of the budget trailer bill are these few lines that seem to us to apply as equally to the AOC as they do to the Judicial Council which would go a really long ways in showing how your public dollars are squandered by predetermined outcomes and studies conducted to justify those predetermined outcomes.
Open Meetings Budget Bill Language
Budget Bill Language included in the budget requires the Judicial Council to adopt an open meetings rule of court with very specific components:
• The rule shall apply to any committee, subcommittee, advisory group, working group, task force, or similar multimember body that reviews issues and reports to the Judicial Council; and
• The rule shall provide for telephone access for requesting persons; and
• The rule shall establish public notice requirements for any meeting of a body subject to the rule.
We don’t like the idea of a rule of court over statute because there is no one to enforce rules of court. Indeed, no effort whatsoever is made to enforce the rules of court on anyone but litigants and their attorneys.
For everyone else a rule of court might as well be a guideline that you are free to ignore. I don’t think legislators have given this a whole lot of thought but it was a rule of court concerning public records that resulted in the presentation of a fully redacted version of the Deloitte contract with no one being held accountable, nor an un-redacted version of this contract making its way into the public domain. Instead, the redactors will be moving on to enjoy their spiked pensions in retirement.
Please consider it one of your first tasks Elaine Howle. Please deliver to the people an un-redacted copy of the Deloitte\ AOC contract for the CCMS project to better highlight how the rules of court are an ineffectual double standard.
We’d also like you to look into the widely reported embezzlement where the AOC gave the embezzler a free pass on over a hundred grand. Since the embezzler was alleged to have been hired to “massage the numbers” of another AOC program to make it appear that hundreds of thousands of dollars was not mis-spent, we the people would like to know all of the details of this embezzlement including obtaining a copy of the non-existent crime report where this crime was reported – and as you allege the AOC alleges- Kamala Harris refused to prosecute.
We’d also like you to take a microscope over the AOC’s construction program but that seems to have been put off-limits by legislators. The AOC has free reign over billions in bond money and has generous exemptions made to public contract code that make kickbacks entirely legal. Much like our University of California system who declares themselves to be a sovereign and above all state laws our legislators have permitted a similar situation to exist with the Judicial Council and the Administrative Office of the Courts.
In other news: 511 jobs were eliminated in Los Angeles Superior Court last Friday and the word on the street is they’re not done yet. There might be more jobs eliminated at the end of this year.
And an unconfirmed report from the realm of the private message window: Contra Costa Courts Kiri “Hare Kari” Torre of digital purgatory fame is alleged to have announced her retirement, “effective immediately.” So what does it take to get Mike Roddy, Steve Nash and pretty boy from Santa Clara on that train out of town? From what I hear, Vickrey is living the dream in Scottsdale while Overholt is living the dream as a court exec in Tempe Tucson. Trust us, there is plenty of room in Arpiaoland for the rest of you.
Related articles
- Legislative committee restores only $63 million in court cuts (judicialcouncilwatcher.com)
- The Arrogance of Unchecked Powers (judicialcouncilwatcher.com)
- As Transparent As An Iron Curtain (judicialcouncilwatcher.com)
- About the “Reality Check” barometer…. (judicialcouncilwatcher.com)
Guest
June 19, 2013
Kiri Torre leaving Contra Costa has been expected. We will see if Contra Costa Judges select an AOC staff to run their court as the CJ, Jody and the Curts see fit.
Res Ipsa Loquitor
June 19, 2013
Kiri leaving? Hmm. Reminds me of the two word email I received from a coworker when Kiri resigned “effective immediately” from the AOC — “Ding Dong!”
courtflea
June 19, 2013
Dear Colleagues,
As many of you know my five-year anniversary with the Contra Costa Court is coming up and it is time for a changing of the guard (aka CEO). I have really enjoyed working with all of you over the years. I am very proud of the work of the CEOs and will have very fond memories to take with me as I retire. I consider myself a very lucky person to have had the opportunity to know you.
Attached is the press release that went out this morning announcing my upcoming departure and the transition plan. Thanks to your very strong judicial leadership, I have every confidence that all of our court system will experience a strong recovery from the budget crisis.
See you later! Kiri
courtflea
June 19, 2013
the gist of the press release is that Kiri’s husband, Ken Torre will be interim CEO. Suprise! lol
Wendy Darling
June 19, 2013
It’s just like incest, and organized crime, Flea . . . You have to keep it all in the family.
You just can’t make this stuff up. Really.
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
June 19, 2013
Ol’ Jer’ is at it again. Lois Henry weighs in.
http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/columnists/lois-henry/x208285366/LOIS-HENRY-Sacramento-blunders-with-your-public-records
Nathaniel Woodhull
June 19, 2013
Overholt is in Pima County, Tucson “Superior” Court.
Judicial Council Watcher
June 20, 2013
Ah yes. Tucson, not Tempe. Thank You for that note.
A Corrupt U.S. (@ReformOurUS)
April 22, 2017
I’ve heard ONLY the very worst things about Arizona courts. If the AZ courts are taking CA overflow, I guess it’s no surprise.
unionman575
June 19, 2013
Nice work JCW.
😉
courtflea
June 19, 2013
I looked on Pima County superior courts website is Chuckles really working there or for them? i.e. a consultant?
unionman575
June 19, 2013
ONGOING ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY AT WALNUT CREEK COURTHOUSE
Former AOCer
June 20, 2013
Just a comment, the link should be cc-courts.org…rest of the link is fine.
Judicial Council Watcher
June 20, 2013
fixed, thanks
unionman575
June 19, 2013
Next big top circus…
😉
Judicial Council Meetings: June 26, 27, and 28
unionman575
June 19, 2013
Mr. Ronald Overholt
Superior Court in Pima County
The OBT
June 20, 2013
Tonto rides again. Lucky for the citizens of the dirty T. As I prepare to retire, I found this classic in my office today. ” The judiciary is not represented by the few strident and uninformed voices that occasionally emerge as email strings on the fringes of the judiciary… Their efforts reflect nothing less than a thinly disguised agenda to dismantle the statewide administration of justice.” Incredibly arrogant comments by in the words of HRH 2 , ‘”the great Ron George”. This is also what HRH 2 believes and in turn this is why she needs to be recalled and removed form office. As I reflect on my lifetime of public service I can’t believe a once great judicial branch has been so demeaned by such arrogant self serving “leadership”
Lando
June 20, 2013
Amen brother OBT. The trial courts have been subjected to this arrogance for far too long. Hull has just replaced HRH 1 and Huffman in seeking to suppress dissent and a free expression of different perspectives and ideas about branch management. Btw where has the CJ been in all the most recent budget discussions? I haven’t heard anything showing any leadership coming rom her office.
Judicial Council Watcher
June 20, 2013
Contra Costa Times-
MARTINEZ — The head of Contra Costa’s court system, Kiri Torre, will retire at the end of this month and be replaced by her husband, according to a Contra Costa Superior Court statement.
Torre, who has worked in court administration for more than 30 years in Contra Costa, Santa Clara and Los Angeles, took over the Contra Costa courts in 2008 after her husband Ken left. Ken Torre, who retired in 2008 after 12 years at the helm, will serve as interim CEO starting July 8, the court statement said.
“Kiri has been an outstanding CEO, leading our court brilliantly through some of the toughest times in branch history,” said Barry Goode, presiding judge of the Contra Costa Superior Court. “She has been a tireless and effective advocate for our court and the judicial branch.”
Since retiring, Ken Torre has been teaching court administration at Sacramento State University.
“We could not ask for a better interim leader,” Goode said, “and we deeply appreciate the dedication to our court that has moved Ken to come back.”
__________________
Ken is well liked. Kiri? Not so much. It appears that our anonymous tipper assisted us in breaking this news first again… Keep ’em coming!
https://forms.hush.com/judicialcouncilwatcher.
Secure. Untraceable. Anonymous.
unionman575
June 20, 2013
http://www.santamariasun.com/news/9917/longtime-court-executive-officer-gary-blair-will-retire-in-july/
Longtime court executive officer Gary Blair will retire in July
BY AMY ASMAN
Gary Blair—the Santa Barbara County court executive officer whose varied career includes such highlights as unifying the county’s court systems and managing the infamous Michael Jackson trial—is retiring in July after 37 years. He is the longest serving court executive officer in California.
……..
Guest
June 21, 2013
You don’t think Contra Costa is trying to bring Ron O back to Cali to run their court, do you?
courtflea
June 22, 2013
interesting observation Guest. very interesting indeed.
jojococo
August 23, 2013
“UNDER THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY ARTICLE VI, SECTION 6 OF THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION, SECTION 19825(b) of the government code, and the provisions of the 2013-2014 budget act, I approve the following change in pay and benefits, in addition to other benefits as provided by law, for employees of the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals, California Judicial Library, AOC, and Habeas Corpus Resource Center who are exempt from civil service under article VII section 4(b) of the constitution until further order.” 3.5% raise signed by Tani Cantil-Sakauye to all eligible employees of AOC,
A Corrupt U.S. (@ReformOurUS)
April 22, 2017
Stephen Nash and his crony crew have already hosed Contra Costa County Superior Court. Are they done yet? Can they go somewhere else?