A Note from JCW-
I’m sure that between the last post and this post you might come to the conclusion that we’re just scratching the surface on these salary and compensation issues. As we’ve pointed out, the entire leadership team of the AOC lives in Sacramento and you can rest assured they all have similar……issues… supervising others from a distance as well as a need to have the taxpayers cover their commute to the office.
Worry not taxpayers because AOC management has detected an improving economy and coin in your pocket. Towards the goal of making you part with that coin they’ve commissioned a really expensive study of their own salary and compensation and we’ll be finding out soon that these fine executives are woefully underpaid.
In previous, similar studies these contracted compensation analysts were permitted to speak to only senior managers and above, who turned to their employees and asked employees for huge lists of what they do during the course of a week. They were encouraged to embellish and write everything down even if they only did an item once per year. The end result was that additional management classifications were added and people were moved into them – usually at a much higher rate of pay.
You can expect more of the same out of this salary and compensation study because the AOC is paying big bucks for a predictable result.
Operating Officer, Curtis Child, does not regularly supervise employees of the AOC in San Francisco and has billed taxpayers for travel from his home in Sacramento. You can read it here.
The Chief Operating Officer is one of the top four officials in the AOC chain of command. According to the official class description (available here), the COO “directs the day-to-day operations of the Administrative Office of the Courts.” The COO is in charge of the Judicial and Court Operations Services Division, which includes the Center for Families, Children & the Courts; the Court Operations Special Services Office; the Criminal Justice Court Services Office; the Judicial Branch Capital Program Office; and the Office of Appellate Court Services. Two hundred twenty-three AOC employees work for the COO.
Mr. Child previously worked as the director of the Office of Governmental Affairs—the AOC’s chief lobbyist. He lobbied against a legislative audit of the CCMS project (see the Recorder article referenced here). He lobbied against AB 1208. (See the Met News article here.) Since his promotion to COO, he earns a salary of $192,590 (see p. 10 of the Judicial Branch pay scale, available here), none of which he has to pay toward his pension (see the list obtained by Alliance director Daniel Goldstein back in 2011 here).
The AOC is based in San Francisco, where the vast majority of the employees—185 out of 223—are under Mr. Child’s supervision.
Mr. Child lives in Sacramento. Mr. Child’s travel expense claims going back to last February reveal that although he’s in charge of the day-to-day operations of a San Francisco-based bureaucracy the public is paying extra for his meals and hotel bills whenever he stays in San Francisco.
In June 2013, for example, he put in claims for lodging, tolls, and parking to attend staff meetings in San Francisco. In May 2013, he sought reimbursement for four nights at a hotel in the City—at rates between $140 and $190 a night—so that he could attend staff meetings, subcommittee meetings, and a dinner honoring the Supreme Court. In April, he spent a night in the City in order to meet with the Judicial Council and with staff. The most curious expense claim came in November 2013, when he put in for $183 for a hotel and meals so he could go to meetings and attend former Chief Justice George’s book signing. Every month, Mr. Child spends anywhere between one and five nights at hotels in San Francisco. On each of his travel expense claims, he lists his “headquarters address” as the AOC office in Sacramento.
These expense claims raise a bigger question: How can the person responsible for supervising the day-to-day operations of a giant San Francisco-based bureaucracy possibly do a good job if he’s based in Sacramento and if he visits just a few times a month?
Curt Child epitomizes the problem with the AOC. He is closely associated with CCMS, the greatest blunder in the history of California judicial administration—and he somehow got a promotion. He’s getting perks and benefits while clerks, reporters, and interpreters suffer. Can he possibly be an effective manager if he’s in a completely different city from his workforce?
The position of COO was created in response to the devastating critique of the AOC contained in the 2012 SEC report. It was supposed to be part of the reform of the AOC. From the looks of it, meaningful reform of the AOC will take a lot more than just reshuffling the players and relabeling the organizational chart.
There is a postscript to this story. Alliance director Maryanne Gilliard has been trying to get Mr. Child’s travel claims from the AOC. At first, they sent what they told her were three months’ worth of claims. Then she was told that Mr. Child got reimbursed for three more claims, and that the new information would be forthcoming. Now she’s being told that she’s only getting information about paid claims because there’s no public interest in claims that were submitted but not yet paid. We include the entire e-mail string below.
Managers who manage from 90 miles away. Travel expense claims for book signings. Incomplete responses to information requests. Stonewalling.
Join us in urging the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to audit the AOC and the Judicial Council. You may also add your name to the more than 500 judges of the Alliance by visiting our website.
Directors, Alliance of California Judges
________________________________________________________
From: “Hershkowitz, Donna” <donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov>Date: March 7, 2014 4:09:06 PM PST To: Maryanne Gilliard <___________.com Cc: Pubinfo <pubinfo@jud.ca.gov>Subject: RE: Request for Records
Judge Gilliard – I will be able to provide the additional travel claims on Monday.
I do want to be clear, however, that what you will be receiving are the paid claims. Pursuant to Rule 10.500 (f)(12) — which does not require disclosure of records if, on the facts of the specific request for records, the public interest served by nondisclosure of the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record — the AOC releases travel expense claims only for claims that have been paid. Paid claims are tracked in the Phoenix sys-tem and can be appropriately and readily identified in response to requests for information. Unpaid claims on the other hand might be located in a variety of places while the appropriate staff is reviewing them before submission to the State Controller for payment. Providing submitted claims can result in confusion as the claims could be counted twice (once when submitted, once when paid), or could have different amounts if the AOC Accounting Office or the State Controller determines a claimed expense is not reimbursable. Paid claims contain the final amounts paid by the agency.
DSH
From: Maryanne Gilliard [mailto:______________.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2014 7:50 PM To: Hershkowitz, Donna Subject: Re: Request for Records
Dear Ms. Hershkowitz,
I am not surprised that there were more outstanding travel expense claims not provided to me. I thank you for your honesty in admitting to such. It does con-cern me that one must be so precise in requesting information from an organiza-tion that purports to “serve the court’s” for the benefit of all Californians.
In any event, it appears that those travel expense claims could be easily scanned and provided to me by tomorrow at noon or at least by the close of business. I know that you will make your best efforts to ensure that I receive what was re-quested a month ago.
To be clear, I am requesting any and all travel and or expense claims of any kind submitted, paid, rejected, revised, or in any manner submitted by Curtis Child for the last four months. I now am asking for the last four months so that I am as-sured that I will actually receive the documents for the period of time requested a month ago.
Thank you for your attention to this matter,
Judge Maryanne Gilliard
On Mar 5, 2014, at 6:25 PM, “Hershkowitz, Donna” <donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov>wrote:
Judge Gilliard – What I provided you were the claims that had been paid for the past three months – not what Mr. Child had submitted for payment, but what have been paid. I have just learned that 3 other expense claims were just paid. I believe these claims are all related to travel in January. I should be able to for-ward these to you by the end of the week.
Thank you.
DSH
From: Maryanne Gilliard [mailto: ________.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2014 1:26 PM To: Hershkowitz, Donna Subject: Re: Request for Records
Dear Ms. Hershkowitz,
I am in receipt of two travel expense claims provided by you. One dated Novem-ber 27th, 2013 and the second, December 6th, 2013.
As you know I requested three months of such claims.
Are you indicating that Mr. Child did not submit a travel expense claim for either January or February of 2014?
Judge Maryanne Gilliard
On Mon, Mar 3, 2014 at 6:41 PM, Hershkowitz, Donna <donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov>wrote:
Judge Gilliard – Attached are the travel expense claims for Mr. Child paid in the last 3 months. There were only 2 claims.
This email, coupled with the email I sent on 2/28, completes the response to your request for information.
Thank you.
DSH
Donna S. Hershkowitz, Director
Office of Appellate Court Services and Court Operations Special Services Office
Judicial Council of California – Administrative Office of the Courts
2255 N. Ontario Street, Suite 220
Burbank, CA 91504
455 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102-3688
Phone 818-558-3068
Fax 415-865-4329
donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov
“Serving the courts for the benefit of all Californians”
From: Hershkowitz, Donna Sent: Friday, February 28, 2014 3:00 PM To: Maryanne Gilliard Cc: Pubinfo; Child, Curtis Subject: Request for Records
Judge Gilliard – In response to your request for information, attached is a list that contains Curt Child’s direct reports as well as the name of all individuals in Mr. Child’s division. The list includes the individual’s name, title, office worked (e.g. Capital Branch Program Office, Court Operations Special Services Office, etc) as well as the location in which each individual is headquartered (San Francisco, Sacramento, or Burbank).
I anticipate being able to provide you Mr. Child’s Travel Expense Claims for the past three months.
Thank you for your inquiry.
DSH
Donna S. Hershkowitz, Director
Office of Appellate Court Services and Court Operations Special Services Office
Judicial Council of California – Administrative Office of the Courts
2255 N. Ontario Street, Suite 220
Burbank, CA 91504
455 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102-3688
Phone 818-558-3068
Fax 415-865-4329
donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov
“Serving the courts for the benefit of all Californians”
From: Maryanne Gilliard [mailto:________.com] Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 10:08 AM To: Hershkowitz, Donna Cc: Pubinfo Subject: Re: Travel expense claims
Ms. Hershkowitz,
I would like to know who his “direct reports” are and where they are physically located—San Francisco or somewhere else. I would further like the same infor-mation with respect to all staff in his division.
Thank you very much,
Judge Gilliard
On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 8:33 AM, Hershkowitz, Donna <donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov>wrote:
Thank you for your inquiry Judge Gilliard.
We are working on your request. We will respond soon with an estimate of the time it will take to produce these re-cords. One clarification on your question regarding Mr. Child’s supervisory duties – are you requesting information on the entire staff in his division, or only on those characterized as his “direct reports.”
DSH Donna S. Hershkowitz, Director Office of Appellate Court Services and Court Operations Special Services Office Judicial Council of California – Administrative Office of the Courts 2255 N. Ontario Street, Suite 220 Burbank, CA 91504 455 Golden Gate Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102-3688 Phone 818-558-3068 Fax 415-865-4329 donna.hershkowitz@jud.ca.gov “Serving the courts for the benefit of all Californians” —–Original Message—– From: Maryanne Gilliard [mailto: ________.com] Sent: Monday, February 17, 2014 8:04 PM To: Hershkowitz, Donna Subject: Travel expense claims
Dear Ms. Hershkowitz,
I hope that you are enjoying your new job which takes you to San Francisco.
In that vein, I am requesting the travel expense claims generated by Mr. Curtis Child for the past three months. As these are documents maintained in the regular course of business, I assume you should be able to provide these to me in short order.
It is my understanding that Mr. Child is responsible for supervising a certain number of staff in San Francisco. In that regard, I would also appreciate a copy of any organizational chart or any other document that reflects Mr. Child’s current supervisory duties, including the actual number of persons in San Francisco he directly supervises.
I thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
Regards, Judge Maryanne Gilliard
R. Campomadera
March 10, 2014
Transparency: zero. Obfuscations, Lies, and Distortions: too many to list. Bring on the auditors. Should be fertile ground.
Nathaniel Woodhull
March 10, 2014
Just authorize the friggin” audit!!!!!!!
unionman575
March 10, 2014
Yes just authorize the friggin” audit!!!!!!!
wearyant
March 10, 2014
Ahh-hem. The JLAC budget committee hearing for Wednesday is cancelled? Again??!!
Sorry to be off topic, but this is getting concerning.
Wendy Darling
March 10, 2014
Really, Ant? You find this surprising? 455 Golden Gate Avenue prides itself on being able to broker back-door deals, especially during budget season. And it is budget season.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
Wendy Darling
March 10, 2014
I won’t be surprised if/when this is the excuse that ultimately gets used by branch “leadership” and 455 Golden Gate Avenue. Published today, Monday, March 10, from Courthouse News Service, by John Chown:
Disgraced Bell Council Members Blame Their Woes on Attorneys
By JON CHOWN
LOS ANGELES (CN) – Five former members of the Bell City Council, who were convicted of misappropriation of public funds and other charges, have sued the city attorney and the Best, Best & Krieger law office, blaming them for bad advice.
The Superior Court complaint against Edward W. Lee and Best, Best & Krieger includes charges of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of written contract.
Bell’s financial scandal got national attention after the Los Angeles Times broke the story in 2010. The little town of 37,000 people near Los Angeles was paying City Manager Robert Rizzo $1.5 million, his assistant Angela Spaccia more than $500,000, and the City Council members more than $100,000 a year. The fat salaries were paid through questionable city policies, including paying council members to be on boards and committees that seldom, if ever, met.
After a long investigation and trial, the five former Council members Oscar Hernandez, Teresa Jacobo, George Cole, George Mirabal and Victor Bello were found guilty in March 2013. All five are plaintiffs in the new lawsuit.
Their jury hung on some of the counts and prosecutors are considering whether to try again.
They’ve been offered a plea deal, according to the L.A. Times, in which they would have to pay restitution and spend up to 4 years in prison. If they do not all accept the deal, they will be sentenced individually and could get up to 8 years.
The five are also facing a civil action from the state attorney general, and their retirement benefits have been challenged by CALPERS, according to their complaint.
They face all this, according to their lawsuit, because Lee failed to give them reasonable advice in matters concerning pay and pensions.
The six-figure salaries for the council members and city staff all occurred after Bell became a charter city in 2005.
According to the complaint, Lee was instrumental in drafting the charter, including Section 502, which states: “The members of the City Council shall receive compensation for their services as may be prescribed by ordinance or resolution, but with respect to service as a council member not to exceed the amount which council members of general law cities of similar population would receive under state law.”
The council members claim Lee led them to believe they could be paid separately for their work on various boards, whether the boards met or not.
They cite Sections 800 and 801 of the City Charter, which state: “The City Council may create by ordinance or resolution advisory boards or commissions as in its judgment are required, and may grant to them such powers and duties are consistent with the provisions of this charter[;]” and, “The City Council shall include in its annual budget such appropriations of funds as in its opinion are sufficient for the efficient and proper functioning of such boards and commissions.”
Among the council members’ transgressions were violation of open meeting laws, for which the former council members also blame Lee and Best, Best and Kreiger, claiming both “should have been familiar with the Brown Act and the requirements for placing matters on a municipality’s public agenda.”
Best, Best and Krieger meanwhile said it believes the complaint “is a frivolous attempt to deflect the spotlight from their own criminal actions.”
The council members seek general, special and punitive damages, but the extent of the damages is unknown as they await sentencing.
Four plaintiffs are represented by Leo Moriarty of Seal Beach; Hernandez is represented by Stanley Friedman of Los Angeles.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/03/10/65974.htm
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
March 10, 2014
The blind leading the blind; the unethical advising the unethical. Thanks for posting, Wendy D.
It’s so weird these days. There always has to be someone to blame. No one takes personal responsibility these days? I guess it’s official; I’m an old fogey.
sharonkramer
March 10, 2014
“The little town of 37,000 people near Los Angeles was paying City Manager Robert Rizzo $1.5 million, his assistant Angela Spaccia more than $500,000, and the City Council members more than $100,000 a year… They face all this, according to their lawsuit, because Lee failed to give them reasonable advice in matters concerning pay and pensions.”
What kind of person needs to be told that you don’t pay $1.5M to the city manager for a little town of 37,000? And why kind of person lodges a defense that while making $100K per year, they were too dumb to know that?
Wendy Darling
March 11, 2014
What kind of person, you ask? The answer: criminals, masquerading as public servants.
Gosh, that sounds familiar.
Long live the ACJ.
katy
March 11, 2014
Its interesting that the Bell City Council members are suing the Bell City Attorney for alleged bad legal advice at the same time the San Francisco City Attorney is attempting to get rid of the Sunshine Ordinance; and the San Diego City Attorney is trying to say his communications with public officials are not subject to California’s Public Records Act.
San Francisco’s Sunshine Ordinance nullifies attorney-client privilege/work product confidentiality when the advice is about sunshine law implementation/compliance. A local sunshine activist recently sued successfully to have the city attorney’s office surrender communications with another city department containing that type of advice. City Attorney Dennis Herrera is asking the state Court of Appeal not only to overturn the Superior Court’s decision but also to strike down that section of the ordinance.
http://48hillsonline.org/2014/03/10/legal-case-could-invalidate-part-of-sfs-landmark-sunshine-ordinance/2/
“According to a story by Dorian Hargrove in the San Diego Reader, Goldsmith is now fighting a court battle seeking to have public officials declared above the law when it comes to the California’s Public Records Act. A February 27th legal brief filed by the City Attorney in San Diego Superior Court makes the claim that the law only requires “local agencies,” a “city,” or a “municipal corporation” to turn over documents, not individuals, officials, or employees.” http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/03/city-attorney-jan-goldsmith-the-leviathan-for-san-diegos-civic-netherworld/
sharonkramer
March 10, 2014
“Join us in urging the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to audit the AOC and the Judicial Council. You may also add your name to the more than 500 judges of the Alliance by visiting our website.”
I don’t see a link on the Alliance website where one can add their name to that of over 500 judges in support of the need for audit. Am I missing something?
The OBT
March 11, 2014
Curtis Child. Defender of CCMS. Lobbyist for the Judicial Council and AOC at a time when someone at 455 Golden Gate slipped the trailer bill though to allow them to take over picking local trial court Presiding Judges. This remains a significant issue as the insiders refuse to this day to identify who came up with this idea. Vickrey blamed the Department of Finance which turned out to be untrue. J Miller knows who proposed this but refused in a public CJA meeting to reveal the truth. Despite this fiasco and his defense of the half billion dollar waste of our taxpayer dollars, CCMS, Mr Child was promoted to COO of the AOC. From this position he continues to lobby against reform and has reportedly recently demeaned judicial critics of the Crystal Palace . Now we learn after multiple drawn out inquiries, that said Mr Child gets extra taxpayer dollars for meals, tolls and hotels for just doing his job. This is all after the promised reform that J Miller and our Queen pronounced. Someone please explain to me why our taxpayers paid extra so Mr Child could go and watch King George’s book signing? Given all the above the public is absolutely entitled to see what other reimbursement requests Mr Child has put in for since the start of 2013. The fact that the AOC has denied access to that information should be pause fro some significant concern and all of the above lends complete support to the proposed audit of 455 Golden Gate.
Lando
March 11, 2014
Curtis Child. We never fail to fail because it’s the easiest thing to do. Now maybe we know why he wants to defeat any request for a complete, open and honest audit of 455 Golden Gate. By the way, a full audit of the JC/AOC might reveal the truth behind who was really behind the unconstitutional take over of our trial courts described above. My money is on King George.
unionman575
March 11, 2014
http://assembly.ca.gov/dailyfile
Scroll down click to: Listen to this hearing
Budget Subcommittee No. 5 On Public Safety
JONES-SAWYER, Chair
1:30 p.m. – State Capitol, Room 437 ( Listen to this hearing )
Committees: Budget, Public Safety
unionman575
March 11, 2014
1:30 p.m. – State Capitol, Room 437
HEARING CANCELLED
😉
wearyant
March 11, 2014
Isn’t it ironic that a guy *earning* (ah-hem) over $170K a year has expenses reimbursed that everyday taxpayers suffer routinely; a man who can well afford saving toward his own retirement chooses to have taxpayers fully fund — 100 percent! So of course, it stands to reason, he will _not_ have his taxpayer-funded business expenses listed in his income tax returns. Oh, has he informed his CPA of those public funds gifts?
Wendy Darling
March 11, 2014
What is really ironic is that the AOC routinely denies overnight, meal, and travel costs for AOC employees for San Francisco – Sacramento. There’s even an AOC policy that states charges such as this will not be allowed. Many line staff employees at the AOC commute from the Sacramento area to San Francisco, and the only thing they “get” is the monthly transportation credit towards a train/bus/BART/ferry pass that everyone else gets, which doesn’t come anywhere near covering their monthly commute costs. The only thing the AOC gives them is the big middle finger. Oh, and all AOC line staff make their full monthly employee contribution towards their retirement. None of them makes anywhere close to $170k a year.
But, as Curt Child makes sure everyone knows, he’s “special.”
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
Michael Paul
March 11, 2014
Concerned about any cancellation, I called the joint legislative audit committee and the hearing is on for 2PM tomorrow. I will be there to make a public comment.
Wendy Darling
March 11, 2014
Thank you for the update MP. Tell the truth. It drives 455 Golden Gate Avenue nuts.
Long live the ACJ.
Delilah
March 11, 2014
“Misstatements About the AOC.”
http://t.e2ma.net/message/yx51h/avvx9b
Check it out. Interesting choice of word, “misstatements.” Once again, I’ll leave the commentary to others.
Thanks, MP, for being there at the hearing. I know many here wish we could be there too.
sharonkramer
March 11, 2014
You really couldn’t make up some of the goofy stuff that they do, if you were trying your best.
Virtually every paragraph in that letter that is not a direct quote of someone else, begins with the words, “FACT: This is misleading.”
Michael Paul
March 11, 2014
Funny he fails to mention both the author and the source. Do they not consider that when they fail to mention both the authors and those authors sources that they undermine their own credibility? Especially when they were the source?
Reforms started before yadda yadda heard it all before and still waiting for meaningful change. Note that he was incredibly specific to CCMS V3 and V4. No mention of CCMS “NextGen.”
Someone needs to take that shovel away so he stops digging.
courtflea
March 12, 2014
spot on Michael and good luck today.
Wendy Darling
March 11, 2014
I want to see Kenneth So make those statements under oath, in an investigative hearing before the State Legislature, and subject to prosecution for perjury.
Long live the ACJ.
Wendy Darling
March 11, 2014
Construction Starts on New SD Courthouse
By SERGIO FREZ
A huge courthouse construction project was started in downtown San Diego Monday, with California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, San Diego Presiding Judge David Danielsen and Judge Kenneth So, who headed the building planning committee, lending a brief hand.
The chief justice said the estimated $555 million price tag will be paid for with court fees rather than taxpayer funds. In addition to the judges, a host of politicians showed up for the ceremony, including San Diego’s new mayor, Kevin L. Faulconer, and a county supervisor, Greg Cox.
A number of speakers, including the chief justice, emphasized the “safety” issues around the old courthouse that has served durably as the principal courthouse in San Diego since 1961, while sitting on an earthquake fault line.
The the new, 22-story, 704,000 square-foot building which will be attached to the old Hall of Justice by a pedestrian bridge, and will host criminal, family and county courts. The project will employ around 700 on-site construction workers and is expected to be completed by 2016.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/03/11/66048.htm
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
March 11, 2014
Two significant concerns. 1. If J So is correct about his stats why is the Judicial Council, AOC , Chief Justice and Mr Child fighting a full, complete and honest audit of their operations? 2. Why will one courthouse cost 555 million dollars ? How is that possible? How can that be justified in the economic environment we live in today ? How do the Judicial Council , AOC and the insiders at 455 Golden Gate , including J So, justify any of this when numerous courthouses all over California remain closed and unaccessible to the citizens they once served?
The OBT
March 11, 2014
You have to love the way HRH-2 presents her policy arguments. The unreal amount of 555 million dollars to pay for a single courthouse will be ok since we are paying for it with court fees rather than taxpayer funds. Huh? Aren’t the same people that pay court fees taxpayers? In the end escalating and unfair court fees essentially become another tax on the public making it more difficult for citizens to access their courts. Another irony indeed, since the “insiders” at the crystal palace like to justify their unjustified growth, gross waste of taxpayer funds and unconstitutional control of the trial courts in the name of providing “access to the Courts ” .
Wendy Darling
March 12, 2014
I happened to be at the local county courthouse today, and overheard a member of the public asking if they could just have a judge order them to jail because they couldn’t afford to pay their traffic fine (not a DUI, just a moving violation). The person was out of work, didn’t have the money, didn’t know when/if they would have the money, and said “I would just rather go to jail.” I kid you not.
Long live the ACJ.
Jimmy
March 12, 2014
Oh Wendy, that happens all of the time! Fines and fees have headed into the stratosphere, to the point where offenders ask to be put on monthly payment plans because they pleaded guilty to a couple of moving violations. Small wonder that a defendant would ask to do some jail time to get that financial monkey off of his (or her) back.
sharonkramer
March 12, 2014
Wishing you the best of success today, Michael and ACJ
Lando
March 12, 2014
Wendy that is very sad indeed. Traffic court should be taken out of the court system and converted into an administrative process with reasonable fines commensurate with the nature of the offense. The insiders at 455 Golden Gate will never support such a concept as it reduces their power, something that can’t be tolerated.
unionman575
March 12, 2014
ACJ and Michael Paul go for it at Sub 5 today in Sacramento.
😉
unionman575
March 12, 2014
Click this link : http://assembly.ca.gov/dailyfile
And scroll down to “listen to this hearing” at 1:30 p.m. today….
Budget Subcommittee No. 5 On Public Safety
JONES-SAWYER, Chair
1:30 p.m. – State Capitol, Room 437 ( Listen to this hearing )
😉
Committees: Budget, Public Safety
Michael Paul
March 12, 2014
Same daily file page, different hearing.
Joint Legislative Audit Committee
GRAY, Chair
2 p.m. – State Capitol, Room 126
California Judges to Testify on AOC Audit
Today at 2 PM the Joint Legislative Audit Committee will be asked to vote for an audit of the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). The Alliance of California Judges will be present and make public comments in SUPPORT of this audit.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Steve White
LA County Superior Court Judge Susan Lopez Giss
LA County Superior Court Judge Tia Fisher
Fresno County Superior Court Judge W. Kent Hamlin
Kern County Superior Court Judge David Lampe
++++++
I’ll be there for the public comment period in support of an audit.
courtflea
March 12, 2014
Hey Michael, take J. So’s little “fact” letter along with you to be exhibit “A” as an example of the AOC’s BS.
wearyant
March 12, 2014
😀
And godspeed to all who are traveling today. The winds !!
sharonkramer
March 12, 2014
Joint Legislative Audit Committee GRAY, Chair
2 p.m. – State Capitol, Room 126 ( Listen to this hearing ) http://assembly.ca.gov/listen/126-audio
Michael Paul
March 12, 2014
Audit unanimously approved
R. Campomadera
March 12, 2014
Way to go, Michael. Great job!!
sharonkramer
March 12, 2014
Woot! Woot! Great job!
courtflea
March 12, 2014
Shit and shinola! Totally awesome! I just hope it is more than just a fiscal audit, it needs to be an operational audit as well. Thanks to Michael and the ACJ!
wearyant
March 12, 2014
Watched on CalChannel. The audit is approved! Go get ’em, Elaine! May the truth out! Yah-hoooo!
This time Steve White was not *erased*. And Michael Paul was excellent! And so was everyone else! An Orange County judge and member of the Alliance didn’t state his name — or I didn’t catch it … thank you too, Judge. And all the reps of the beleaguered court workers! Yaaaaaay!
MaxRebo5
March 12, 2014
Yes!
Wendy Darling
March 12, 2014
For those of us who couldn’t listen in live, is there a recording some where?
And FYI, it is rumored in the dark hallways of 455 Golden Gate Avenue today that a certain, particular someone is NOT happy.
Long live Michael Paul and Judge White. And long live the ACJ.
courtflea
March 12, 2014
Wendy D, is it the sound of little tiny Tani feet stomping around the halls? 🙂
Wendy Darling
March 12, 2014
Stomping and pouting. Very unattractive.
Long live the ACJ.
wearyant
March 12, 2014
http://www.calchannel.com = video, I believe! Got see Judge White. This time his presence and words will not be denied. Check “live webcast.” It might be available for free download in a day or so.
wearyant
March 12, 2014
Sorry. http://www.calchannel.com/
sharonkramer
March 12, 2014
VIdeo of the LJAC meeting. Starts at about 1 hour, 12 minutes.
http://calchannel.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=7&clip_id=1905
Michael Paul
March 12, 2014
The only dissenters were Steven Jahr and Art Scotland. Everyone else spoke in unanimous support of the audit. One thing that did come up was that Elaine Howle indicated that she does investigate (behind the scenes) judicial branch whistleblower complaints.
Behind the scenes is not the degree of diving into AOC’s files and contracts that would be necessary.
For his part, Art Scotland tried to play the “I helped you in your suit against the state controller so please don’t audit” card.
It floated like a lead balloon.
sharonkramer
March 12, 2014
As I understand it, unlike whistle blowers complaints, audits are not focused on looking back at what someone has done wrong. Their focus is to look forward to determine what can be done better.
As I understand it, once the scope of the audit has been determined, anyone can submit information to the auditors. So say that AOC travel expenditures are determined by scope that they are going to be audited. If you have proof of fraud, waste and abuse in that area and you submit it to the auditors; no one is likely to be punished as a result of the audit — but they may have to stop charging the tax payer for their drive to the office.
R. Campomadera
March 12, 2014
As if “I did you a favor, so you should do me a favor” is a basis for deciding a Third Graders’ dispute, let alone ascertaining whether the Third Branch of our state government is being managed appropriately. Good grief.
Having worked for many years in a Third Branch of government, I know the strong institutional imperative to “let us manage our own affairs without interference from the other two branches”. That’s all well and good, to a point, if the Third Branch is, in fact, properly managing its own affairs. The current leadership of the California judiciary, however, is proven itself completely and utterly incapable of managing the Branch’s affairs.
I would have expected Jahr to try to make the argument against an independent audit — he’s a useless twit — but I used to think of Justice Scotland as one of the good guys. All he’s proven in recent years, however, is that he’s just another political hack. It’s a shame…he had the standing to be a force for good, but he’s squandered it by ending up on the wrong side of history too many times. Shame on him.
Wendy Darling
March 12, 2014
Telling the truth is not an act of rebellion. Published today, Wednesday, March 12, from the Sacramento Bee:
Rebel California Judges Win A Skirmish With Chief Justice Over Money
A years-long battle over the direction of the California court system, pitting the San Francisco-based state court bureaucracy against rebel judges and court employee unions, took another tack Wednesday.
The system’s critics, led by the Alliance of California Judges, scored a win when the Joint Legislative Audit Committee directed State Auditor Elaine Howle to look into how
Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, the Judicial Council she chairs and the Administrative Office of the Courts are spending money.
The Alliance, paired with court employee unions, has claimed that trial courts are being starved for funds and have been forced to shut down courtrooms and furlough employees while money was wasted on an inoperative computer system and lavish salaries and fringe benefits for AOC employees.
The battle has been waged within the Judicial Council, in the Legislature and in the media, culminating in a request by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, for a comprehensive management audit that is expected to take six to seven months.
“I don’t want anecdotes anymore,” Jones-Sawyer, a member of the audit committee, said. “I want answers.”
The unanimous committee vote for the audit essentially rejected a plea from Steven Jahr, the AOC’s top executive, representing the chief justice, for it to be pared down and/or delayed.
Jahr said that Cantil-Sakauye and the Judicial Council had already undertaken extensive studies of AOC staffing by an outside consulting firm and faced a financial audit by the state Department of Finance and that the staff had been “considerably…downsized” — a contention that critics dispute.
Members of the Alliance, including its president, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Steve White, and union representatives said it was vital to resolve conflicting accounts over spending priorities.
The state cut financing for courts when it faced severe budget deficits, and while some of the money has been restored, trial judges complain that financing from the AOC has been inadequate.
The Sacramento Bee/Randall Benton
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/03/rebel-california-judges-win-a-skirmish-with-chief-justice-over-money.html
Long live the ACJ.
fifth amemdment
March 12, 2014
I am still confused about the downplay of CCMS and other audits- as if that wasn’t enough?
Wow, that was so enjoyable to watch! Modern day smackdown…..
fifth amemdment
March 12, 2014
Here’s a summary of the meeting today in case anyone missed it:
Wendy Darling
March 12, 2014
Lost a lot of respect for former Justice Scotland today. Published today, Wednesday, March 12, from The Recorder, the on-line publication of CalLaw, by Cheryl Miller:
State Lawmakers Approve Broad Audit of Judicial Branch
Cheryl Miller, The Recorder
SACRAMENTO ¬— A bipartisan legislative panel on Wednesday unanimously authorized a wide-ranging audit of the judiciary’s administrative and spending practices, handing the Alliance of California Judges and their court labor allies a political victory.
For months, the Alliance and labor groups have lobbied lawmakers for an investigation into judicial branch finances, claiming the Judicial Council and Administrative Office of the Courts have not suffered the same levels of layoffs and cutbacks endured by trial courts in recent years.
Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, who chairs the committee overseeing the judiciary’s budget, said Wednesday that the branch could have received more budget money last year but for “preconceived notions about the courts, [the] Judicial Council and the Administrative Office of the Courts, including that they are overstaffed, underperforming, hiding funds and overspending.”
“I do not want anecdotes anymore,” Jones-Sawyer told the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. “I want answers. I want those answers from an independent source.”
The audit, as requested by the assemblyman, will consider: whether the council is complying with 2012 legislation aimed at funneling more dollars to the trial courts; how the AOC’s staffing size compares with other states’ judicial administrations; whether AOC functions can be trimmed in light of fewer needs from reduced superior court operations; whether the branch’s fund are being spent “in the most effective manner”; and whether the branch has more money it could be sending to trial courts. Notably, the audit will not delve into the branch’s court construction program, which has also been criticized for its enormous costs.
State Auditor Elaine Howle said the review will take six to seven months to complete.
“The only way to restore confidence in the judicial branch is to shine light on the spending priorities of the Judicial Council and AOC, and hold its leaders accountable for prioritizing justice,” Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Steve White said in a prepared statement issued after the committee vote. White is president of the Alliance of California Judges.
While not opposing the audit outright, branch leaders pleaded with legislators to restrict its scope. Administrative Director of the Courts Steven Jahr said the branch recently executed a $788,000 contract with a private firm to scrutinize job classifications and salary levels within the AOC. The state Department of Finance is also scheduled to review the AOC’s finances starting in August, he said.
“There are criticisms that continue to surface relative to an agency, which has been considerably reformed and downsized,” Jahr told the committee. “We are prepared to cooperate in any and all respects. We only seek to avoid duplication and the costs and workload issues that attend to it.”
Arthur Scotland, the former presiding justice of the Third District Court of Appeal, went further, arguing that the audit is entirely unnecessary because the chief justice-appointed Strategic Evaluation Committee already completed a review of branch operations in 2012.
“The intent behind this is an honorable one, but I would suggest you consider that this would be an expenditure of a lot of money that could be better used by reinstating some of the funds that have been taken in draconian cuts from the judiciary,” Scotland said.
The committee approved the audit request without discussion on a 12-0 vote.
http://www.therecorder.com/home/id=1202646694761/State+Lawmakers+Approve+Broad+Audit+of+Judicial+Branch%3Fmcode=1202617072607&curindex=3
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
March 12, 2014
What a great day for the voices of reform and the restoration of democracy to our branch. As my Mom used to say, ” the chickens always come home to roost” and that sure happened today. A full, complete and open audit will expose many troubling things about the Judicial Council and AOC’s incredible waste of public funds all of which flow from the insular and anti-democratic leadership plan set up by King George and maintained by Queen Tani. The fact that the vote for an audit was 12-0 shows just how little credibility this Chief Justice and her cohorts at 455 Golden Gate have in the state capitol. In light of this vote it is time for Queen Tani to do the right thing and end the failed legacy of King George. I know I am in a minority here but I will always respect and admire Justice Scotland. Maybe he can have that honest discussion with her honor and move us to a place where we can restore branch credibility. That place is democratizing the Judicial Council . Thanks to JCW, the ACJ and everyone here for making the case for an audit which I believe will be the first step in ending the tyranny that was created when King George high jacked the 1998 trial court funding legislation.
The OBT
March 12, 2014
As reported I can see HRH-2 stomping through the dark hallways of 455 Golden Gate as she and her insular friends will have a lot of explaining to do once the independent auditors show up. My words of wisdom to HRH-2 to quote what Bluto said to Dorfman, ” My advice to you is to start drinking heavily ” . The only other question is who will HRH-2 force to take the fall for this latest setback to the insular leaders at 455 Golden Gate? J. Miller. J Hull, J Jahr or Mr Child? My guess is that J Jahr will be soon thanked and excused.
wearyant
March 12, 2014
“Administrative Director of the Courts Steven Jahr said the branch recently executed a $788,000 contract with a private firm to scrutinize job classifications and salary levels within the AOC.”
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The fact that this contract was brought up to argue against an audit shows how clueless the elite are at the crystal palace. The JC/AOC/CJ should be prevented from drumming up contracts such as these in my humble opinion. That money could have gone a long way in the trial courts. And that’s just one item. All the AOC’s perceived “precious” programs should be thrown out that do not directly benefit the trial courts. I’d love to see the AOC thrown out, but — I can dream, can’t I?
Wonderful day today. It feels like a Friday. I feel giddy! All those people who came together for this great result !! I’m so grateful. Thanks, JCW!
wearyant
March 13, 2014
Off topic, kinda. Michael Paul made reference to whistleblowing and retaliation in his remarks. It was noticed by the joint legislative body there. Here’s a news story from today running somewhat parallel to retaliation, retribution, a lawsuit and comments encouraging people to step up.
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/03/12/trial-set-for-lapd-criminalist-who-claims-her-dna-results-were-ignored-in-murder-investigation/
sharonkramer
March 13, 2014
Wearyant,
Does not seem one bit off topic to me. Seems right on point. While audits may bring changes in recommended policies and procedures — it takes addressing whistleblower complaints to remove compromised souls from the equation in order for any audit to be effective.
If information obtained via whistleblowers is left unaddressed, compromised souls will continue to find every loop hole available to avoid implementing any policy that is not to their and their cohorts advantage. Audit directives only work if it is honest people who are being directed.