From the Alliance of California Judges….
In a bizarre move, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye opened Friday’s meeting of the Judicial Council by announcing her intention to “retire, remove, take away, eliminate the name ‘Administrative Office of the Courts.’” Friday’s published meeting agenda contained no reference whatsoever to the planned action. The Chief Justice directed the chair of the Council’s Rules and Projects Committee to propose an amendment to the Rules of Court that makes the change official. The Chief also issued a written statement regarding the name change to all AOC personnel, whom she addressed for the first time as “Judicial Council Staff.”
In an obviously choreographed maneuver, the Agency Formerly Known as the AOC immediately released a statement that quotes Administrative Director of the Courts Steven Jahr:
“This retirement at once changes everything, and changes nothing. There’s only one entity, and that’s the Judicial Council of California. Neither in the Constitution, in statute, in rules, or in other formal methods, was a separate entity ever created. (Emphasis ours.) The change is more than superficial. It changes nothing in our organizational structure, but it does emphasize that the Judicial Council is the governing body with a staff that supports it, and it reflects a culture change that is already under way.”
We heartily agree with two parts of Judge Jahr’s statement. First, by itself, the new name changes nothing. Second, the AOC mushroomed from an 18-member support team in 1961 into a hulking bureaucracy of over 1100 employees in 2012 without constitutional, statutory, or regulatory authorization.
As the Alliance of California Judges has argued since our inception, the Judicial Council is a constitutionally created body with very limited powers, which consist of surveying judicial business, making recommendations to the trial courts, and enacting Rules of Court dealing with practices, procedures, and administration. This constitutional grant of authority has not been changed since the creation of the Council in 1926. In addition to these powers, the Constitution gives the Council the power to designate an “Administrative Director of the Courts.” That’s it. The Constitution—then and now—never mentions an Administrative Office of the Courts.
In 1961, the Council enacted a “resolution” creating the AOC. The entire resolution reads:
Be It Resolved that, pursuant to the authority vested in it by the Constitution of the State of California, the Judicial Council does hereby delegate authority to the Administrative Director of the California Courts, under the supervision of the chairman, to employ, organize, and direct a staff which shall be known as the Administrative Office of the California Courts and which shall be operated as the staff agency to assist the Council and its chairman in carrying out their duties under the Constitution and laws of the State.
Under its modest grant of constitutional power, the Council had absolutely no authority to create a state agency, let alone a large one. We are very pleased that the administrative director of that agency and the Chief Justice have now apparently come to the same conclusion we have: that there is not, and never was, a legally created agency called the Administrative Office of the Courts. There is only a Judicial Council, defined by the Constitution, and its subordinate staff, which serves at will and which has no powers, constitutional, statutory, or otherwise. The shame is that for many years those who have questioned the authority, let alone the legitimacy, of the “Administrative Office of the Courts” have been decried as rebels and troublemakers.
As to how the Council should proceed from here, given this belated recognition by the Council and the head of the former AOC, we say: Slow down, and follow the rules.
The Rules of Court require that before any amendment to the rules is voted upon by the Judicial Council, it must first be published and circulated for public comment. The only exceptions occur (1) when a rule change is non-substantive and non-controversial; or (2) when “compelling circumstances” have been shown to exist. (See California Rule of Court 10.22(d) and (g).
In reality, this new name-change rule will be drafted by the AOC, not by the Council or its internal committees. And if the procedure suggested by the Chief Justice is followed, it will immediately be laid before the Council in July for a unanimous “Yes” vote—you can bet the farm on that. We think it appropriate for the Council and the public to have a chance to study and comment on the proposed makeover, because it may lead to a lot of complications.
For example, dozens of statutes and Rules of Court which refer to the AOC, not the Council, will have to be rewritten, along with hundreds of contracts and other business agreements. For years we have been told that the AOC has taken ownership of our courthouses. Will the Council now take ownership? And, of course, there are costs to be considered—reams of forms and other documents bearing the constant reminder, “The AOC—Serving the Courts for the Benefit of All Californians” will have to be discarded or redacted, at some expense.
We urge a calm, deliberate approach which taps into the collective wisdom of this state’s judges and considers their comments, so that this “retirement” will not have to be one done again and again. Ignoring the rules is what first caused the “agency” to be created, and the rules should not once again be ignored in trying to rectify that most costly and embarrassing error.
We hope that this “retirement” of the AOC “brand” is not simply a clumsy attempt to deflect criticism, something akin to Philip Morris becoming “Altria.” The Council has never been held to account for the bureaucracy’s blunders precisely because there is an AOC to point to, and an AOC to defer to, and an AOC to lead the Council into orchestrated votes. We all remember the CCMS fiasco, in which the AOC was allowed to run a failed program while the Council—which remains unaccountable to this day—signed the checks which helped bankrupt the judiciary. If this attitude persists, it won’t be rearranging deck chairs this time; it will be renaming the Titanic itself. This 53-year charade has gone on long enough.
If the Council is to truly accept that it, and not its staff, is the repository of power, it must also be prepared to deal with the personal consequences of that reality. We agree with the Chief Justice that responsibility for the oversight and budget problems that the branch has experienced rests with the Judicial Council itself. That is why the Alliance of California judges sponsored and obtained unanimous approval of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee for an audit of the Judicial Council’s operating budget (Program 250.30). We are pleased that the Judicial Council members are stepping up in advance to acknowledge that they have personal responsibility for any failings that the audit might reveal which occurred during their tenure. Although the Judicial Council is not a governing body, it is vested with many statutory responsibilities in overseeing the Judiciary’s budget. We trust that if the audit reveals problems, any Judicial Council members who presided over any failings will accept responsibility.
The Chief Justice should immediately support not just a name change, but a real change—transforming the Judicial Council itself into an elected group of judges in place of the unaccountable, handpicked group that has demonstrated its inadequacy.
Very Truly Yours,
Directors, Alliance of California Judges
JusticeCalifornia
July 1, 2014
Elimination of the name AOC, quickly followed by news that Judge Jahr is leaving?
Yes, the Judicial Council should move slowly and carefully. Each member of the Judicial Council should research what the name change entails, including cost (who is going to pay for this?), and, with respect to a new director: a) research the background and liabilities of anybody floated for this position; b) keep in mind that any Team George cheerleader/leftovers are damaged goods and will inspire ZERO trust and confidence in the branch; and c) pay attention to what happens within their staff agency in the next months while the JC/AOC audit proceeds.
Call me jaded but as these remarkable developments unfold it looks like Tani is up to her tired old tricks and is once again positioning in anticipation of release of that audit report. Just like she did with the SEC report. Remember SEC chair Justice Scotland issued a report in early January 2012 stating that he had prohibited Jody Patel from being involved in the SEC proceedings and reminding Tani of the qualifications the SEC recommended regarding the nationwide search for a new AOC director?
A couple of weeks later (late January) Justice Scotland was G-O-N-E.
http://www.courts.ca.gov/2189.htm/16829.htm
A couple of weeks after that (February 2012) Patel was appointed interim director of the AOC. Tani magically was able to divine what would be in the final SEC report, and got things all ready. Judge Jahr — who might be a nice guy but who clearly did not have the recommended experience for the job– was appointed as “Director” of the AOC, flanked by reliable Team George toadies Patel, Soderlund and Child.
So now Judge Jahr is leaving, and we will have Team George in complete control of the AOC while the audit of the Judicial Council/AOC proceeds and concludes.
Again, call me jaded but I suspect Team George has some audit-related preparation/cleansing to do. Perhaps they don’t want Jahr around to witness/interfere, or be the spokesperson to defend what has gone down once the report surfaces.
While Team George led by Tani tries to sell this latest lipstick-on-a-pig makeover, everyone should remember that old adage. . .fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.
Darkzen
July 1, 2014
Oh… baby… I hope this keep unravelling…
Darkzen
July 1, 2014
Also….here…”Second, the AOC mushroomed from an 18-member support team in 1961 into a hulking bureaucracy of over 1100 employees in 2012 without constitutional, statutory, or regulatory authorization.”
Q: Now I ask you… Do you think there are other impostors out there working without these credentials ?
A: You Bamn Skippy
Wendy Darling
July 1, 2014
455 Golden Gate Avenue “slow down, and follow the rules”? Oh, that’s funny.
A “calm, deliberate approach which taps into the collective wisdom of this state’s judges and considers their comments, so that this “retirement” will not have to be one done again and again.” Oh, seriously, laughing so hard I can hardly stand it.
“If the Council is to truly accept that it, and not its staff, is the repository of power, it must also be prepared to deal with the personal consequences of that reality.” “If the audit reveals problems, any Judicial Council members who presided over any failings will accept responsibility.” Stop it, stop it! ROFLMAO!
“We hope that this “retirement” of the AOC “brand” is not simply a clumsy attempt to deflect criticism, something akin to Philip Morris becoming “Altria.” That’s exactly what it is, and any “hope” to the contrary is for suckers.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians, regardless of whatever name their doing it under.
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
July 1, 2014
If this attitude persists, it won’t be rearranging deck chairs this time; it will be renaming the Titanic itself. This 53-year charade has gone on long enough.
😉
Wendy Darling
July 1, 2014
Today’s additional installment of Tani’s Follies. Published today, Tuesday, July 1, from Courthouse News Service, by Maria Dinzeo.
In the dark hallways of 455 Golden Gate Avenue the proverbial name of Darrell Steinberg was heard to be whispered. But that’s probably just another “magical coincidence.”
Advice on Replacement Follows Departure of AOC Director
By MARIA DINZEO
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) – The director of California’s court bureaucracy Steven Jahr quit on Tuesday, days after the agency abandoned its name as Administrative Office of the Courts. A group of trial judges said choosing another insider committed to the status quo as his replacement would prove “disastrous.”
“First, by itself, the new name changes nothing,” said the Alliance of California Judges, a group of roughly 500 judges. “Second, the AOC mushroomed from an 18-member support team in 1961 into a hulking bureaucracy of over 1,100 employees in 2012 without constitutional, statutory, or regulatory authorization.”
The name change announced Friday was seen by some judges as a harbinger of director Steven Jahr’s departure. At the Judicial Council meeting announcing the name change, Jahr was unusually freewheeling in his expression, saying, “Retiring the name AOC will produce a perceptual change, or perhaps a cultural change. Yet under the substantive law, it makes no change at all. The name is superfluous.”
In a statement this morning, Jahr said he had been planning to retire since last fall, and told Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye that he would stay until “sometime after the state budget was signed by the governor.”
Earlier this year, lawmakers directed the Bureau of State Audits to investigate the Judicial Council and its staff. A report from the State Auditor is expected in October.
A statement from Judicial Council staff said Jahr had been brought out of retirement as a trial judge to lead the administrative office “during a time of transition.” His predecessor, William Vickrey, left the AOC in September 2011 amid mounting controversy over the agency’s spending practices and a $500 million court technology project that judges and state legislators deemed a failure.
Jahr’s retirement was rumored for many months, and names floated for his successor ran the gamut from retired Los Angeles judge Terry Friedman, to former Democratic State Senator Joe Dunn, who is now Executive Director of the California State Bar.
Friedman was a Judicial Council insider and champion for the $500 million computer project called the Court Case Management System. Dunn was seen as a conciliatory choice, who could help repair the former AOC’s reputation with the legislature. Dunn also helped broker a deal in 2011 to help fund the CCMS project through a private donor, but the deal fell through.
Jahr’s announcement was sent to the state’s presiding justices, presiding judges and head clerks, but its trial judges were left off the email list.
“The resignation of another AOC Director and a name change will not help the judicial branch,” said Judge Runston Maino of San Diego. “What we need is true reform and that means a more democratic judicial council.”
The Alliance group of judges issued a statement Tuesday saying it hoped the next director would be an outsider.
“Once again, the Chief Justice and Council will have a chance to either improve matters, or ensure further degradation of confidence, more budget difficulties and greater strife. This time, there can be no mistakes,” said the Alliance. “Choosing yet another insider with a dogged devotion to the status quo will prove disastrous. Everyone is watching us. We need new ideas, new blood, and a realization that democratization of the Council selection process is the only real road to honest reform.”
It took the Judicial Council’s search committee a year to select Jahr as Vickrey’s replacement after a nationwide search, but Cantil-Sakauye said the agency will have a new director in place by the time Jahr leaves in September. “We are all deeply grateful that Steve agreed to come out of his first retirement to help the Judicial Council as we initiated our reforms,” Cantil-Sakauye said.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/07/01/69197.htm
Long live the ACJ.
Delilah
July 1, 2014
Now that his name’s been mentioned again, let’s not forget this quackery, IMO, by Joe Dunn:
http://www.calbarjournal.com/November2011/TopHeadlines/TH8.aspx
California Bar Journal, November 2011
Judicial Council approves possible private funding for case management system
The Judicial Council agreed last month to explore accepting private grant money to help deploy its computerized case management system in three superior courts. It executed a letter of intent between the Administrative Office of the Courts, the State Bar and the Patrick Soon-Shiong Family Foundation to begin a 12-week discussion and planning period to determine if the parties wish to enter into a collaborative relationship.
The foundation is headed by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a billionaire philanthropist and developer of a breast cancer drug, who is working on developing a health-care information grid. Although the letter does not specify the amount of money Soon-Shiong will contribute, judicial officials said it could total $20 million and will allow deployment in the San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Fresno county superior courts. Deployment has been stalled because of statewide budget cuts.
~snip~
State Bar executive director Joe Dunn said some aspects of CCMS could serve the bar’s internal technological needs, particularly with efforts to speed disposition of complaints against attornyes. The bar, he said, could be both a contributor and a beneficiary of the overall proposal. State Bar President Jon Streeter said CCMS “could prove to be especially valuable in the bar’s continuing drive toward a more rapid and efficient handling of discipline cases. The system as a whole offers much to the administration of justice and public access to the courts in California.”
My money is on Dunn, or the CJ’s good friend and former classmate Steinberg.
http://bigstory.ap.org/photo/tani-cantil-sakauye-darrell-steinberg
My question is, if the AOC is going to be “disappeared,” why should they be looking for a new “director” when the JC has now declared itself to be the Board of Directors unto itself? Rhetorical question.
unionman575
July 1, 2014
Former AOC Money Man Steve Nash where are you? Oh yeah doing the Contra Costa CEO gig.
I hope this isn’t the next Direktor: http://sd06.senate.ca.gov/biography
unionman575
July 1, 2014
Time to “shed” 1000 of the newly coined “JC” bureaucracy. We can’t afford you anymore. Shut it down now!
wearyant
July 1, 2014
EXCELLENT post, JCW. I’ve been waiting for the ACJ reaction to this lipstick-on-a-pig, and ACJ’s calm, smooth reasoning is better than I could ever imagine. Yes, the queen and her minions should slow up and stop running around like the rats they are on a sinking Titanic.
Wendy D, get off the floor and dry your eyes. Hee hee!
Long live the ACJ
MaxRebo5
July 1, 2014
That was a beautiful response by the Alliance of California Judges and an awesome pic.
Lipstick on a pig
Polishing a turd
Dog don’t hunt
Pick your visual but it ain’t pretty what the Chief is trying to do.
Thanks JCW, Courhouse News, the ACJ’s, and all the posters on here for speaking out!
Guest
July 2, 2014
The employees of the Contra Costa Superior Court fully support and endorse Mr. Nash to be the next Director of the AOC/JC. He has always wanted to be there. He would be great THERE.
unionman575
July 2, 2014
😉
I hear that.
Michael Paul
July 2, 2014
San Bernardino and Contra Costa were grooming for Steve Nash to become the AOC director.
https://judicialcouncilwatcher.com/2011/06/15/aoc-director-under-fire-takes-a-ceo-job-in-san-bernardino/
JusticeCalifornia
July 2, 2014
Thank you Michael Paul for that link reminding us about Nash’s compromised past.
Re speculation about Senator Steinberg. . . .
As a possible judicial appointee: As I recall, when Steinberg was temporarily parked as a lawyer at Hansen Bridgett, termed out of his assembly political gig and waiting for his senate political gig, he and his firm bragged on the firm website about the special “access” they had in Sacramento. We all know Steinberg is a very ambitious and successful political animal, but as far as I can tell there is no reason in the world to believe this ambitious political animal will NOT play favorites and politics if he is ever appointed to the bench.
As a top judicial branch administrator: The public and sister branches have always wanted and expected transparency and accountability in the judicial branch. Nonetheless, at the November 2006 Summit of Judicial Leaders in SF, Steinberg gave judicial branch leaders the extraordinarily detrimental advice to fight court critics and challengers by “building as big a wall as possible and playing defense”. The ivory tower, circle the wagons, concrete wall mentality has existed under George and Steinberg buddy Sakauye ever since, and the public and governmental trust and confidence in the judicial branch has skidded towards rock bottom. How could Steinberg – longtime trusted advisor to failed judicial administrators George and Sakauye — now be considered for a top spot in judicial administration? Steinberg owes all three branches and the public a huge apology for his part in failed George/Sakauye ivory tower/circle the wagons branch choices and policies.
If someone has a different experience/opinion regarding Steinberg, do tell.
Guest
July 2, 2014
Very valid points but politics and ambition, tied with family/friends make strange appointments. Steinberg and the cj are tight. And the former AOC is very tight. Just do a public records request for contracts the JC has had with Hansen Bridgett. Be sure to ask for the names of the attorneys hired by the AOC with HB and then cross check thise names with Darrel Steinberg. You’ll find tight friends got well paid by the AOC. Do this and you won’t be surprised when Steinberg gets the $250k gig.
courtflea
July 2, 2014
Sheila Gonzales Caballlo (or whatever her last name is now) coming out of retirement?? ha ha just kiddin. I have no idea who will replace Jahr head I just know it will be another insider hack. A real court administrator with integrity would not survive long as Director.
Wendy Darling
July 2, 2014
A real court administrator with integrity wouldn’t take the job, unless the were willing to commit career suicide. Not to mention that a real court administrator with integrity wouldn’t be offered the position. “Integrity” is not a desired qualification at 455 Golden Gate Avenue.
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
July 2, 2014
Jahr is a decent guy and probably an excellent judge. Despite J Hull’s claims to the contrary he wasn’t the most qualified person in the country to run the AOC. The problem long term isn’t Jahr or even Hull. The problem lies with the Chief Justice and her stubborn unwillingness to democratize the Judicial Council. Until and unless that is done nothing will change. Nothing. She can keep changing AOC Directors, ( 4 now? ) and even change the name of the AOC, but none of that will ever fix the credibility problem she as Chief Justice created.
Wendy Darling
July 2, 2014
“She can keep changing AOC Directors, ( 4 now? ) and even change the name of the AOC, but none of that will ever fix the credibility problem she as Chief Justice created.”
In other words, “more money” isn’t going to fix what is really wrong in and with the California Judicial Branch.
And Queen Feckless’ got her “credibility problem” the old fashioned way — she earned it. She also deserves it.
Long live the ACJ.
Wendy Darling
July 2, 2014
Ta-dah! Published today, Wednesday, July 2, from The Sacramento Bee, by Laurel Rosenhall:
Could It Be Supreme Court Justice Darrell Steinberg?
By Laurel Rosenhall
With the end nearing this fall of Senate leader Darrell Steinberg’s long career representing Sacramento in the state Legislature, a political guessing game of sorts has emerged in the capital city: What Will Darrell Do?
In earlier rounds, the Sacramento Democrat has said he’d explore running for Sacramento district attorney (he didn’t), Sacramento mayor (he still could) and California attorney general (didn’t happen). Steinberg has said he would not challenge incumbents Mayor Kevin Johnson, who could run again in 2016, or Attorney General Kamala Harris, who is now running for her second term.
In the latest iteration of the game, Ventura County Star Columnist Timm Herdt makes the case that Gov. Jerry Brown should appoint Steinberg to fill one of two openings on the California Supreme Court. Herdt praised Steinberg as the “most productive legislative leader” since term limits were imposed, and argued for his broad expertise in state law and his skill as a consensus-builder.
Herdt wrote that Steinberg — who worked as an employee-rights lawyer and an administrative law judge before being elected to the Legislature — would be a “soberly creative” choice for Brown.
As for the possibility of a Mayor Steinberg? Herdt says it’s “a position for which he seems overqualified.”
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/07/could-it-be-supreme-court-justice-darrell-steinberg.html
Long live the ACJ.
The OBT
July 2, 2014
My My My. It looks like the 455 Golden Gate “insiders ” are in full retreat. The renaming of the AOC has to be one of the biggest blunders of the Queen Feckless administration. When the audit slams the AOC will anyone really believe that everything has been fixed because they renamed the agency after the very people that ran it into the ground? The only ones the ” insiders” are fooling are themselves, once again. No one is buying what the Queen is selling. In light of all that, J. Jahr’s resignation was to be expected. His comments that nothing was really changing with the “Judicial Council” name change were too honest and undermined HRH-2’s sideshow.The big question now is where do we go from here? My prediction, nowhere good. We all know Feckless and friends will pick an even closer ” insider” to do one thing : preserve their power at any cost. My guess would be Terry B. Friedman. He fits every possible criteria. Strong supporter of Ronald George and CCMS. May like to cut ethical corners.( See Metnews.com articles about his election to the bench), and had no problem selling out the judiciary to the overlords at 455 Golden Gate when he was CJA President. Within the week, J Hull and his minions will set about yet another nationwide search for the best candidate and just like last time, that person will have been right here all along right under their noses lol. You heard it here first and You can’t make any of this up. Really.
Lando
July 3, 2014
Everyone should please watch the YouTube of Queen Tani, J .Jahr and Chief Minion Miller about this AOC name change. None of what any of them says makes any reasonable or logical sense. What I get from all of this is they know they have failed and now are trying to salvage the mess they created. I am guessing this whole misplaced renaming idea is J Miller’s and his comments are essentially delusional. To his credit at least J Jahr had the courage and decency to resign. Our Queen and Minion Miller should do the same.
Wendy Darling
July 3, 2014
YouTube video: Hmmm, board of directors, board of directors . . .
Aren’t the members of the “board of directors” of a publicly held organization elected, not appointed, to their positions on the board? And aren’t the members of the board of directors of a publicly held organization subordinate to the shareholders/stake holders? Among other legal requirements.
I don’t remember seeing any of this at 455 Golden Gate Avenue. Not now, not ever. Still looks like the same old despotic dictatorship it ever was, just lathered down in a shiny new coat of Teflon.
But that’s probably just a “perception” problem.
Long live the ACJ.
JusticeCalifornia
July 3, 2014
As bits and pieces of this story unfolds, it makes some sense. Think about the method behind Sakauye’s unexpected madness in unilaterally pronouncing — while the audit of the JC/AOC is pending– that the judicial council is responsible for everything the AOC has done and is doing.
Sakauye clearly learned a few street tricks from gambling in casinos for a living when she couldn’t get hired by a law firm after she graduated from law school. Perhaps her real surprise (thug) message is: “If we go down, we are taking you with us”.
Here is the current roll call of JC members:
http://www.courts.ca.gov/4645.htm
And let’s think about all of those past others.
How do JC members in all three branches who were seduced into accepting last minute reports by compromised AOC/JC members and drinking the CJ/JC/AOC SWOV kool-aid feel about essentially being offered up by our gambling barmaid, to be tarred and feathered for what she and George, and their Team George JC buddies and AOC henchmen/women have done? So much money wasted, so much bad behavior, so little effective oversight. . . and the branch is in ruins.
Expect Team George defenses to the audit criticisms, then apologies and promises to be better, amidst more insider appointments. Things will get worse. We have all been there before.
Team George needs to go. Clean sweep.
Democratize the Judicial Council.
Appointing Darrell Steinberg to the Supreme Court would be a slap in the face to ethical, hardworking judges everywhere. The last thing the branch needs is a Supreme Court appointment — or administrative appointment– of a career politician who has given terrible bunker-mentality advice to the branch and defended the indefensible actions of our last two failed Judicial Council chairs. Let’s be real. The branch has been run into the ground. It has zero credibility. In order to rebuild itself into an ethical, well-managed, respected third branch of CA government, the judicial branch needs intelligent, experienced, ethical judges, JC members, and administrators at its helm. Not a former gambling barmaid, Team George leftovers, and career politicians.
Just my opinion.
Lando
July 3, 2014
Great analysis JusticeCalifornia.We need to get beyond all of what the ” insiders” at 455 Golden Gate have created and ruined. We need a new branch leadership that is elected and represents all points of view. We need a democratized Judicial Council. I also have every faith that this Governor will continue to appoint highly intelligent, ethical and independent Justices to the Supreme Court not people like Mr Steinberg who sacrificed much in his quest for power. On that hopeful note, Happy 4th of July everyone .
MaxRebo5
July 3, 2014
Terry Friedman: No Interest in Administrative Director Post
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Retired Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Terry Friedman said yesterday he has no interest in serving as administrative director of the state courts.
TERRY FRIEDMAN
Retired Superior Court Judge
Friedman and State Bar Executive Director Joseph Dunn were mentioned in a wire service report Tuesday as possible aspirants for the post, which Steven Jahr is giving up after two years. Dunn, a former state senator and unsuccessful candidate for state controller, and onetime chief executive of the California Medical Association, did not return a phone call seeking comment on his interest.
Friedman, who was reached while traveling outside the state, told the MetNews that he had not seen the report, had no idea why his name surfaced, and was quite content in his present role as a private judge.
“I think the world of the Judicial Council and the chief justice,” he said. “But I am gainfully and happily employed doing arbitration and mediation with JAMS in Los Angeles.”
Friedman said Jahr had been “a highly effective, responsible, evenhanded director” who had been unfairly maligned as a branch “insider” by the Alliance of California Judges. The alliance Tuesday said it hoped the next director would be more independent of the chief justice and the bureaucracy.
Friedman, a Superior Court judge from 1995 to 2010 and a state legislator for eight years before that, said he would not automatically rule out anyone for the post based on current affiliation, or lack of affiliation, with the branch.
“I think it should be somebody with good communication skills, an appreciation for the legislative process and ability to work well with people and a commitment to a strong and effective and independent judicial branch,” he said.
JusticeCalifornia
July 3, 2014
At this point, I do believe that Governor Brown means well. He and others in all three branches of government have been given a lot of information about judicial branch corruption and mismanagement. However hard it may be, and notwithstanding political pressure, he and others in all three branches have been elected by the American public to protect the public and lead by example, and that is exactly what ethical leaders in all three branches need to do right now.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
Yes indeed, Happy Independence Day.
Wendy Darling
July 3, 2014
Today’s installment of Tani’s Follies, illustrating, once again, how the more things “change” at 455 Golden Gate Avenue, nothing really changes at all. Published today, Thursday, July 3, from The Recorder, the on-line publication of CalLaw, by Cheryl Miller:
State Is Golden for Tech Lobbying. Plus: Judicial Council in Rush to Close Doors
Cheryl Miller, The Recorder
SACRAMENTO — Sure, tech is growing its political presence in Washington, D.C. But it isn’t overlooking California.
*****
On July 1, the Judicial Council ushered in new open-meeting rules that members hailed as “a new era” and a high bar for the judicial branches in other states.
One day later the Council convened a private teleconference that was not agendized or noticed to the public. The reason? Council members wanted to form a search committee to find a successor to retiring administrative director Steven Jahr. According to council spokesman Peter Allen, that constituted an “emergency requiring prompt action,” a finding that, under Rule of Court 10.5, exempts the council from public-noticing requirements.
Jahr isn’t scheduled to retire until Sept. 30. His departure has been in the works for months and was certainly no secret to branch leaders.
“This was considered an urgent meeting,” Allen said in an email Thursday. “The council wants to get someone in place before Judge Jahr leaves and it needs to start a search immediately.”
James Ewert, general counsel for the California Newspaper Publishers Association, called that a “pretty broad interpretation” of the rules.
“When I think ’emergency,’ as a corollary in the Brown Act, it’s work stoppage or a disaster or things that are unanticipated,” Ewert said.
“I guess it’s just cultural” with the Judicial Council, Brown added. “They’re just not used to conducting themselves in an open and transparent manner. It looks like it’s going to take some time.”
The council, under pressure from the Legislature and the governor, adopted in April new open-meeting rules, found in Rule of Court 10.75. The rule promises public access to meetings of the council’s many advisory committees, advanced public notices of those meetings, minutes and guidelines for when a panel can hold its deliberations privately.
“The Judicial Council intends by this rule to supplement and expand on existing rules and procedures providing public access to the council and its advisory bodies,” Rule 10.75 reads in its “intent” section.
But that rule doesn’t apply to the council, Allen said, which apparently can still declare an “emergency” for any reason and exempt itself from open-meeting requirements.
Jahr isn’t leaving for three months, and the AOC has a number of top administrators who could surely keep the branch running, at least for a short time, if a replacement isn’t found immediately. So what’s the rush? Could it be that the chief justice already has a candidate in mind and wants to lock him in quickly?
****************
http://www.therecorder.com/id=1202661947329/State-Is-Golden-for-Tech-Lobbying-Plus-Judicial-Council-in-Rush-to-Close-Doors%3Fmcode=1202617072607&curindex=1&curpage=ALL
Long live the ACJ.
Mrs. Kramer
July 3, 2014
Blah, blah, blah de blah. Put your money where your mouth is and man up to rid corruption in the Ca judicial branch, or quit whining about getthing screwed. I’m am really tired of judges who aid this to continue by their silence of compromised peers–pretending to be the holier than thou saviors to the problem. In for a penny, in for a pound. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Dumbasses are complicated the problem by blurring the lines.
The OBT
July 3, 2014
Thanks Wendy for posting the Recorder article. Now even the Recorder is questioning the lack of real transparency and their ultimate conclusion says it all …” Could it be that the chief justice already has a candidate in mind and wants to lock him in quickly “. I guess J Hull and company won’t have to engage in the difficult and burdensome task of yet another year long nationwide search. And thanks Max Rebo. You made my whole 4th of July weekend with the news that Terry B Friedman pulled himself out of the running. How great is that. Knowing the closed insular and failed thinking that pervades the dark hallways of 455 Golden Gate look for J Miller to move north and become Director of the AOC or I mean the Judicial Council lol. Miller is the perfect choice, as he loves the power, is totally loyal to HRH-2 and is a true believer in all of their false reform and alleged change. For discerning observers watch the video JCW posted above and check out Jahr’s facial expressions when J. Miller holds forth. It pretty much says it all.
courtflea
July 4, 2014
all that and he can double dip too!!
Lando
July 4, 2014
OBT I think you nailed it. My sources within the dark hallways of the Crystal Palace agree Miller wants to move out of Riverside and go where the big ships go.455 Golden Gate the Orwellian world of dictatorship, self importance, arrogance and Gray Goose.
Wendy Darling
July 4, 2014
Liars, thieves, thugs, and hypocrites, Lando. Miller will fit right in.
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
July 4, 2014
Your right Wendy. And what a sad comment on this great holiday that represents sacrifice and all those great soldiers who fought and protected our freedoms. How very sad . The California judicial branch is led by self centered and self appointed elites that only benefit because they oppose any democracy and light being shown on their dark and
Lando
July 4, 2014
insular ” leadership”. All who posit here should be proud that the forces of reform are making a significant difference. From the removal of Vickrey, the demise of CCMS,the full and complete audit of their operations at 455 Golden Gate and the current resignation of Jahr all here should be pleased with such progress. The fight must however continue. Tani’s latest failings to accept responsibility by renaming the AOC must be exposed. Her naming a Vickrey award for Curt Sonderland further shows how little progress the so called reforms at 455 Golden Gate really mean. Thanks everyone here for caring about and reforming our great branch of government.
JusticeCalifornia
July 4, 2014
Maybe the secret meeting was held to address a crisis in confidence. . . .in the chief and her toadies.
The chief said someone would be in place by the time Judge Jahr left, so she and her toadies clearly have someone in mind, right? Maybe she didn’t share her thoughts with the entire JC, and now that Tani has put JC members on notice that they are responsible for everything she and her toadies do, some are not quite so willing to play her game with her stacked deck.
One can hope.
Happy 4th!!!
Lando
July 4, 2014
So true JusticeCalifornia. Happy 4th to all from a remote and secure location in a bunker far away from the overlords at 455 Golden Gate
sharonkramer
July 4, 2014
Gang, there is nothing insular about what is occurring. There’s a reason why it is so difficult to take them down. A group of judges have shot themselves in the foot while backdoor advocating that judicial appointments should be for life — even if the judge has the worst ethics record in the entire state. This, while simultaneously whining that the CJP protects corrupt judges who are part of the in crowd.
By protecting their peers who are compromised and while whining that the CJP is ineffectual at assuring ethics in the courts: the conflicted judges also protect the innercircle in the house of George.
In reality, the judge with the worst record in the state should be behind bars for falsifying a judgement document in a matter involving public health. So should the former chair of the CJP and the former chair of the Executive Committee of the JC for covering up the void judgment with no subject matter jurisdiction and allowing other judges to continue to use it.
Punishment for those involved would take a big bite out the innercircle of corruption.
Nope! Instead, a group of judges who profess to be restoring ethics to the judicial branch, just aided the wall of corruption to continue to be harder to penitrate.
I am super pissed. I’m going to have to file a RICO suit in Sept to get my life back and help save that of many others. (the underlying fraud the corrupt judges have aided to continue by falsifying court docs in SLAPP is a scientific fraud in public health policy that was penned for the US Chamber to add legitimacy to a bogus litigation defense argument. Thousands have been harmed)
On this 4th day of July, 2014, its time to look at the big picture of what it is really going to take to restore integrity to the Cal courts and bring it into adherance with the Constitution. One can’t half fight crime while aiding it to continue, and profess to be helping to solve the problem.
Cantil-Sakauye isn’t the real problem. Those who aid her to stay in office while whining about her being there, are.
unionman575
July 4, 2014
Yeah that black mold is bad stuff.
Happy Fourth everyone.
😉
courtflea
July 4, 2014
Jahr head is leaving just in time to be the whipping boy for the audit results, that were obviously a “snapshot in time” and a new and inproved director will come in to assure the state auditor that the AOC/jc or whatever you want to call them is already making great strides in organizational improvement, especially transparency. gack!
You know it is really quite amusing to watch these fools running scared and trying to prememptively deflect what they know is coming in the audit results.
Another amusing item is watching that video about the “suprise” agenda item regarding the AOC name change, everyone commenting is reading from their notes! Down right psychic I say 🙂
Wendy Darling
July 4, 2014
One can’t help but notice Jahrhead gushing forth about how “re-naming” the AOC was originally the brilliant idea of Ron George.
Thinking people should stop and consider why Queen Feckless is, and remains, so personally committed and invested in protecting, preserving, and extolling the legacy of the “great” Ron George? Why, since day one of her “new” administration, to this very day, despite demonstrated failure after demonstrated failure of Ron George’s administration, and the carnage left in Ron George’s wake, does she continue to invoke his name and maintain this position?
The operative word in that question is “personally”.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
sharonkramer
July 4, 2014
I’d love to know what role the JC’s litigation mgmt committee played in the name change and how they see this impacting liability for past and future wrongs by the self-professed judicial branch policy-writing body.
Enough of my thinking of negative matters on this beautiful Fourth of July. Off to play bingo with dear old friends!
Wishing all a great Independence Day!
The OBT
July 4, 2014
I hope all had a great day celebrating our freedom from oppression and groupthink. I honestly can’t believe the mess we are in. We have a Chief Justice who is incompetent, mercurial, and unwilling to admit any error big or small. When she came into office she had the chance to hear out and listen to the ACJ and others who care about the branch but she closed them down. She refused to take a new look at the AOC and supported them even to this day by handing out awards in the name of William C. Vickery. She has demonstrated her continued arrogance and self importance in all she says and does. The Chief Justice needs now to admit she has failed and failed badly. She should resign and leave her tarnished legacy to history. Only when that happens can we replace her with a thoughtful, intelligent and ethical new Chief Justice who can restore credibility to a once proud third branch of government.
sharonkramer
July 5, 2014
So where is the line drawn? Does Michael Roddy now work for the Judicial Council or does he work for the courts themselves? Seems to me that he works for the JC while aiding to control what happens in the courts. Who is responsible for his actions?
unionman575
July 6, 2014
http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1635944&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
Executive Officer
• Michael Roddy, Executive Office
;)r
sharonkramer
July 6, 2014
Thanks, Unionman. So Roddy works for the San Diego County Superior Court. Who is responsible for the acts of government employees who are CEOs of county courts?
Someone has oversight responsibility — just like the JC just acknowledged their responsibility for the AOC employees acts.
Who determines if Roddy remains/is let go as CEO of the San Diego County Superior Court? The county court executive committee? The JC? Or the Superior Court judges of the county?
courtflea
July 6, 2014
Sharon, the judges of the county are who Roddy is accountable to.
courtflea
July 6, 2014
under the authority of the PJ
sharonkramer
July 6, 2014
Thanks, Courtflea. So the same judges who whine about the CJP not punishing corrupt judges, as they backdoor advocate for lifetime judicial appointments; are the ones who keep Roddy in office in San Diego?
“State office building racks up millions in repairs”
http://www.lompocrecord.com/news/state-and-regional/state-office-building-racks-up-millions-in-repairs/article_926db68e-cb9f-5f4f-ad78-7ffccb2d272b.html
“They made a choice: It was either having to keep paying for the building or let the employees suffer. I believe they let the employees suffer’. ‘Any other landlord would be categorized as a slum lord and forced to fix this problem,’ said Jerome Horton, the elected chairman of the Board of Equalization. But advocates for the move say Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration has been resistant and is delaying action.”
Would that be the same Jerry Brown who is a UC Regent and refused to take action to have the UC name removed after being forged on a bogus policy paper for the US Chamber; and refused to take action to punish leading Cal justices for falsifying court docs, coram non judice, while aiding the scientific fraud that the buildings cause no harm, to continue?
JusticeCalifornia
July 6, 2014
OBT, you are right.
Leaders by definition, lead. They take risks, and they inspire others to do the same when necessary to protect the people they serve.
Sakauye never has led. Sakauye had the chance to fix the mess Ron George created, embrace transparency and open the doors to the Judicial Council. She did not, and she does not know how. Sakauye is not a leader and that is exactly why she was selected by Ron George to “lead” the biggest judiciary in the Western World. She is his last joke on all of us. Sakauye has never been the brightest bulb in the judicial box, and she never had the education, ambition, drive, experience or skills to become what she now is. She lucked (LOL) into her current position by having the right look, background (gambling barmaid), family origin, and simpering, dependent demeanor that has made her what she is today. She is completely dependent upon Team George and her law/school legislative buddy Steinberg to lead her/protect her (how lucky for them). Given her record of throwing her own base constituents (immigrants of color) under the bus in order to further her own career, she cannot inspire anybody or “lead” anyone.
She likes power and she likes ruling. She is our wannabe U.S. Imelda Marcos.
Which is why I think she is desperate to find a place for Steinberg. She needs him in a power position to survive, because she is not popular with anyone who can pierce her impossibly thin and compromised veneer. He needs an arrogant, whining, not-too-smart cj to aid him in getting a new, well-paid political power gig. Yes, he could go back into private practice, but where is the power and glory in that? So much better to be the seasoned politico controlling our not-too-bright, arrogant cj, the power behind the throne of the biggest judiciary in the Western World.
Just my opinion.
Lando
July 7, 2014
In a remote and secure location far away from the dictators at 455 Golden Gate: Doctor my eyes tell me what is wrong. Was I unwise to leave them open for so long…Doctor my eyes, cannot see the sky is this the price for having learned how not to cry… Pretty much sums it all up. At least 3,000 miles away, From there, I can forget about Tani, Miller, Hull and the most pleasant Judy McConnell who loved nothing more than pulling the wings off of trial judges for just doing their jobs day in and day out.How did the once proud California judiciary ever get so messed up?
The OBT
July 7, 2014
I totally agree Lando. McConnell represents the worst of the worst. Bitter, mean , arbitrary, and uncaring about what we all go through every day. She enjoyed the power for over 10 years to punish the hardworking trial Judges for the slightest infraction.She also allowed the CJP staff to make outlandish and unfair charges based on little or no evidence.She will be chapter 2 in my soon to be published book about went wrong in the California Courts right after Chapter 1, King George lol.
sharonkramer
July 7, 2014
And Chapter 3 should no doubt be Huffman.
sharonkramer
July 7, 2014
Lando and OBT,
I’ll go ya one further. Judy McConnell is a criminal who has harmed the lives of thousands. She fixed a SLAPP suit in 2006 to the false finding of libel with actual malice. She concealed parties to the litigation and the fact that a plaintiff committed perjury to manufacture a reason for malice.
When the judge with the worst ethics record in the state, falsified the judgment in 2008, McConnell, Benke and Huffman covered it up, knowing it was fraudulent.
Benke issued a fraudulent remittitur in 2010. In 2013, it came back to the wicked Judy McConnell again. I refused to file an opening brief until she proved her court had subject matter jurisdiction. She dismissed the case with no jurisdiction and thus no immunity from prosecution. Of course, the CJP and DA Dumanis refused to reprimand and/or prosecute McConnell and company; the the underlying fraud I first exposed in 2005, plays on in courtrooms all across America to sell doubt of liability for causation of illness.
McConnell is the poster child of what’s wrong with the CA judicial branch and she belongs behind bars for falsifying court docs with no judicial immunity, while billions of dollars of fraud have played on.
Tani knows all about it, yet will do nothing to remove the compromised witch from a position of power in the Ca judicial branch.
I’m suing her, Benke, Huffman and several San Diego judges and clerks for RICO in Sept. They all know that its coming — including the judge with the worst ethics record in CA — who just got re-elected with the help of those who were backdoor advocating that Superior Court appts should be for life — no matter how inept or compromised a judge is.
http://katysexposure.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/kelman-veritox-v-kramer-real-party-in-interest-justice-judith-mcconnell-ca-supreme-ct-says-retained-for-consideration-mandateprohibition/
sharonkramer
July 7, 2014
“Gov. Jerry Brown likes to break the mold with his judicial picks”
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-brown-judges-20140707-story.html
I would beg to differ on that title. Jerry Brown like judicial picks who won’t break the deceit over mold…involving the UC Regents, the US Chamber and lying toxic tort expert defense witnesses for the USDOJ in mold litigation.
This is what one of his picks had to say about her appointment and that of her appointed peers. This is in Feb of this year. Apparently judges are different when it comes to be subjected to re-election by vote, even though the law states they are no different than anyone else running for re-election. The following is transcribed from an audio. I have that, too.
Democratic Central Committee Meeting February 18, 2014
San Diego Central Committee Chairperson Francine Busby: “Judge Rosenstein, we are allowing the guest to speak on this issue who is a Judge and expert in this field.”
San Diego Superior Court Judge Paula Rosenstein: Thank you, I’m not sure I am actually speaking to the quite to the motion because I was not prepared to speak to that, I am all in favor of vetting. I think that is one of the things . I was appointed in November 2012 by Governor Jerry Brown, and I of course made him my favorite Governor. And I too am up for election this year however nobody pulled papers to challenge me and therefore I am not on the ballot. I thought I might be vulnerable a) as a new judge and b) as family law judge which is one of the areas you get challenged the most and 3) as a open lesbian, the first one appointed to the bench. So, it’s a – I thought I was going to get challenged and I didn’t, fortunately. You could anybody. Umm… I was going to talk about the judicial election process but I think Judge Popkins and Judge Bashant covered that pretty well. My goal is the Independence of the Judiciary.
The Judicial Branch should not be treated the same as our Mayoral Elections or our Assembly Elections or our City Council Elections. It is different. We must be fair and impartial. The way to find out if whether potential judges are fair and impartial is through the VETTING process Judge Popkins described. But TRUST ME, it is that Thorough. He was NOT exaggerating. It takes years. It took me two years to be appointed. And that was kind of quick, I am told. I don’t know. I don’t wanna know. But the Democratic Central Committee Party,
The Democratic Central Committee HAS A HISTORY OF NOT Endorsing Challengers against Incumbent Judges-“
Francine Busby breaking in: “Right now we are on the motion to—“
Judge Paula Rosenstein breaking in”: “I know, that’s a problem. I know that’ s why I was ‘asked’ to come here and talk, about – I agree to the vetting but I think that is NOT ENOUGH. I THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY STAY OUT OF THE RACE.
I do NOT THINK YOU SHOULD ENDORSE CARLA KEEHN. It is not about Carla. It is about the Independence of the Judiciary. I remember when the Better Courts Now People Ran against Four Judges, in 2010, and that’s all…we are just going to create a system where you get people like Judge Kreep Elected.
Who is Not Qualified.
He was rated NOT QUALIFED by the County Bar. And, and I am not saying, Carla Keehn, is NOT Qualified. I have NO IDEA. I think that’s the point. So I support the motion.”
Francine Busby: “ Thank you, Judge.”
The OBT
July 8, 2014
Honestly while McConnell wasn’t always fair on the CJP she is a good justice regarding legal issues and she certainly isn’t a criminal of course. In fact in contrast to some judges who had problems years ago in San Diego she is quite ethical. In any event we need to stay focussed on the major issues here and that is reform of the Judicial Council so that real change not fake reform comes to the branch. Let us not forget the great job JCW has done to allow us a powerful forum for many in the state to honestly learn about where major policy problems in the Judicial Council and AOC have surfaced. That is far more important than any individual concerns any of us have.
Wendy Darling
July 8, 2014
“That is far more important than any individual concerns any of us have.”
Agreed.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
July 8, 2014
Thanks OBT for your insights. My bad too for partially taking the discussion away from what really matters. In that regard, why is Jahr out after only two years? Was he only a pleasant figurehead all along with Patel and the Curts actually running things into the ground at 455 Golden Gate? Did Queen Tani, J Miller and J Hull interfere with his attempted leadership? Is he the fall guy for the scathing audit of the AOC that will likely appear in the fall? Or Is Ronald George still running everything behind the scenes with Jahr being an ineffective disappointment ? Who will appear on the dark hallways of the 5th floor next? Apparently not Terry B. Friedman. That is a relief. Will it be J Miller, Nash, or Hot Rod? Maybe Patel? All scary alternatives.
sharonkramer
July 8, 2014
“Honestly while McConnell wasn’t always fair on the CJP she is a good justice regarding legal issues and she certainly isn’t a criminal of course”
OBT, what do you call a justice who fixes SLAPP suits, conceals names are missing from Certificates of Interersted Persons, conceals a plaintiff committed perjury to manufacture a reason for malice, conceals a judge voided a judgment on its face as other judges continued to use it coram non judice, conceals fellow justice and the clerk of the court over which she presides falsified a remittintur, and then later refuses to prove her court has subject matter jurisdiction while issuing a ruling to dismiss a case? Honestly, I call that “criminal”, with no subject matter jurisdiction and thus no judicial immunity. Don’t you?
sharonkramer
July 8, 2014
Thumbs down all you want, McConnell groupies. Falsified court documents by court officers, collusive cover up of falsified court documents and harassment, including false inprisonment and bodily harm by a judge whose court had no subject matter jurisdiciton, for refusing silence of falsified court documents is SIMPLE to prove.
Two docs: Schall’s 2008 judgment that is inconsistant with the abstract; and Benke’s 2010 Remittitur that is inconsistant with the plaintiffs’ certificate of interested persons. (And all the fruadulent court docs in a second case from 2010 to present, coram non judice founded upon these two Penal Code 134 violations — while people continue to suffer all across the United States.
sharonkramer
July 8, 2014
Here’s the code for what McConnell has done, while thousands continue to suffer from the science fraud that is used to sell doubt of causation in courts all across the country, that McConnell and company have aided to continue by falsifying court docs in now ten years of SLAPP: The plaintiffs she has practiced politics to aid and abet to sell the garbage to the courts, are expert defense witnesses hired by the USDOJ. They often rep the government against sick military families living in moldy military housing. Nice stuff, huh? McConnell is a criminal of the worst kind. Little children and their who give their lives to defend your freedom have been getting screwed by her practicing politics by criminal means from the bench for years.
Ask Tom Nugent and Lisa Schall what’s going on with McConnell, et.al. in this matter. It comes down to this:
134. Every person guilty of preparing any false or ante-dated book,
paper, record, instrument in writing, or other matter or thing, with
intent to produce it, or allow it to be produced for any fraudulent
or deceitful purpose, as genuine or true, upon any trial, proceeding,
or inquiry whatever, authorized by law, is guilty of felony.
JusticeCalifornia
July 8, 2014
As far as I can tell, the name change is designed to make past and present Judicial Council members the fall guys for the JC/AOC audit. Sakauye has suddenly framed the Judicial Council as a “board of directors”. And listen again to Judge Jahr saying how easy it is to simply replace the name AOC with the name Judicial Council– everywhere–like in all those crazy contracts (IT, unlicensed contractors, employment, etc.) The AOC acted like a separate entity, contracted like a separate entity, bullied like a separate entity, and yet now wants that entity to be gone? From reports of those who worked inside the AOC, or dealt with the AOC, AOC personnel knew what was going on, and the respective Chief Justices knew what was going on, but what about all those councilmembers who got reports the day of JC meetings? Did they read and approve the contracts they are about to become a part of? What about lawsuits against the AOC? Are Judicial Council members suddenly part of those?
This looks and smells like legal maneuvering in anticipation of the audit.
Here is an old story, but it is interesting right now. . . ..In 2005 there was going to be an audit of the Marin Court. Court Executive Officer John Montgomery had given hundreds of thousands of dollars in IT contracts to his live in girlfriend, and written off personal expenses. Montgomery’s two assistants (including Kim Turner) knew about and signed off on Montgomery’s bad acts. In anticipation of the audit– during which this would foreseeably be exposed– Turner “reported” Montgomery. When the time came to face the music, Montgomery used the fact that his assistants, not he, had signed off on his bad acts, to escape serious liability. Turner claimed she had been bullied by Montgomery (whom she had previously called her “friend” and “boss extraordinaire”) into doing what he told her. Turner got a slap on the hand in an AOC report, and then promoted to fill her old boss’s shoes. Montgomery got a really light slap on the hand– he only had to pay a $1,000 fine and do 200 hours of community service.
http://www.marinij.com/ci_3647629
http://www.marinij.com/fastsearchresults/ci_5056114
And of course we all know Turner was placed on the judicial council in 2009, immediately engaged in a wholesale destruction of documents while an audit of the Marin family court was pending, and was thereafter relied upon by George and Sakauye to advise them on how to handle the AOC audits. Turner just won the JC’s excellence in administration award.
The culture of corruption promoted at the highest levels of the branch. . . .
So yeah, this looks like the same old, same old, to me. George, Sakauye and her longtime buds at the AOC have this all figured out and they are going to do what it takes to protect themselves. That apparently involves placing all past and current Judicial Council members front and center for blame, and having Judge Jahr move on.
I am not expecting any change by Team George anytime soon. If they are following a Kim Turner plan of action, they are confident the bad actors will skate and be promoted and win more rewards or retire with a nice pension.
I am real curious to see what is going to happen regarding Turner’s participation in evidence tampering in Marin. How long does the public have to put up with this corrupt garbage?
sharonkramer
July 8, 2014
Justice California,
I personally am somewhat happy to see there are now designated fall guys. The shell game of who is ultimately accountable when corruption occurs in the administrative acts within the judicial branch has priorly caused rectifying damages and stopping frauds to be illusive.
And don’t forget, Tani is the Chair of the JC.
I don’t really care whose heads roll, I’m just trying to stop a major fraud that has been aided to continue by several within this broken system, because it continues to harm thousands. Glad to know it is now established of where to shoot the arrow. Seems to me that it makes it simplier to cut off the head of the snake. Maybe I am missing something?
JusticeCalifornia
July 8, 2014
CA Penal Code section 134: Every person guilty of preparing any false or ante-dated book,
paper, record, instrument in writing, or other matter or thing, with
intent to produce it, or allow it to be produced for any fraudulent
or deceitful purpose, as genuine or true, upon any trial, proceeding,
or inquiry whatever, authorized by law, is guilty of felony.
Yep, that’s another law that appears to apply to what Kim Turner and Beverly Wood did in Marin (participated in perpetuating false dates of entry of a minute order where date of entry was the key issue; refused to issue, file and serve an official Notice of Entry with the correct date the minute order was entered). Four weeks after the letter complaint was made to the authorities, the report is this:
Attorney General: no response at all yet. No call back, no nothing.
Governor: It is being reviewed, this generally takes 3-6 weeks
Marin Sheriff: He just got back from vacation, is going to meet with county counsel and respond
Marin PJ D’Opal: She just got back from vacation, is reviewing it and will respond
US Attorney: sent to the wrong office, they will forward to SF
Grand Jury: They are a civil grand jury, have no authority
Tani Cantil Sakauye: JC staff says they have no idea where the letter complaint is, no way to track it.
Commission on Judicial Performance; It has been assigned to a staff attorney for review. The process takes 3 1/2-4 months.
The relevance of all this: top members of the branch are perpetuating a culture of corruption that has infected the entire branch, top to bottom. Who suffers? The public. Their rights and their access to justice have gone out the window.
Sakauye is passing time playing around with names of her staff, while the public is paying her salary, her staff’s salary, the fancy lawyers who are figuring out how to protect her and her staff, on and on and on. . .meanwhile the public is priced out of their day in court–they cannot afford the horrendous court fees, court reporters or transcripts, or days off work trying to get into court to file papers during reduced hours, or appearances on overcrowded dockets.
Sharon, I share your frustration. A lot of people are frustrated with the corruption and mismanagement in the branch, that is taking place and protected at the highest levels, and goes on for years.
As I understand it a protest rally is being planned to take place in SF in the near future.
sharonkramer
July 8, 2014
Aptly and suscintly stated, Justice California. There’s ALOT of Penal Code 134 violatations occurring in the Cal courts. From family court to civil court to criminal court, the insidious problem of judges, justices and their clerks falisifying legal documents with no fear of punishment for the felonious acts, needs to be made to stop.
But you misunderstand me. I’m not in the least frustrated. I love a good puzzle. Its fun when one finally puts the last piece in place — which I am fully intending to do. Too many lives are being RUINED if I don’t! Beginning in 2006, McConnell grossly underestimated my tenacity.
Wendy Darling
July 8, 2014
Food for thought: tell the truth, blow the whistle on public corruption, and get fired. From The Recorder, the on-line publication of CalLaw, by Marisa Kendall:
Former Top Deputy Files Whistleblower Claim Against Herrera
Marisa Kendall, The Recorder
SAN FRANCISCO — A veteran deputy city attorney who was fired after 20 years is striking out against San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, claiming he sidelined and then removed her to derail an investigation into questionable city payouts.
Joanne Hoeper, formerly Herrera’s chief trial deputy, alleges she uncovered signs of corruption while looking into $19 million spent by the city to replace sewer lines based on claims they had been damaged by the roots of city-owned trees.
She was forced out after bringing the evidence to Herrera, according to a whistleblower retaliation claim filed against the city late last month.
Matthew Dorsey, a spokesman for the city attorney’s office, dismissed Hoeper’s accusations as “baseless allegations of wrongdoing from a disgruntled former employee.”
“While we generally cannot discuss personnel issues, the circumstances of Ms. Hoeper’s separation were thoroughly reviewed by outside counsel,” he said in an emailed statement, “and we’re confident that the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office will be vindicated when the case is adjudicated.”
According to Hoeper’s whistleblower claim, the city paid plumbing companies for thousands of projects over 10 years, many to replace privately owned sewer lines. According to Hoeper, that responsibility typically falls to the homeowner, not the city, even when city trees are involved.
“When Hoeper and her team looked beyond the broad patterns and focused on individual claims, they discovered additional problems,” the claim states. “The files were replete with false statements, inflated bills, suspiciously similar signatures and other red flags.”
Many of the sewer lines didn’t need to be replaced, Hoeper contends, and homeowners submitted claims only after they were solicited by plumbing companies. The sole source of income for one plumbing company appeared to be city sewer claims, while others appeared to derive the majority of their income from those claims, according to Hoeper.
The city stopped making payments to replace the sewer lines in question in June 2012, according to the claim filed by San Francisco employment attorney Stephen Murphy. The whistleblower claim seeks lost wages, damages and Hoeper’s reinstatement to her former position.
Hoeper launched the investigation with Herrera’s knowledge in 2011 after receiving a tip from an FBI agent, and reported her findings to Herrera in July 2012. The next day, Hoeper alleges the city attorney transferred her to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Hoeper says she was fired in November 2013, following Herrera’s reelection to a third term, and her last day was Jan. 7.
http://www.therecorder.com/home/id=1202661958148/Former-Top-Deputy-Files-Whistleblower-Claim-Against-Herrera%3Fmcode=1202617072607&curindex=3
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
July 9, 2014
Anyone hear anything in detail about Jahr’s leaving ? It makes no sense he’d come out of retirement , move part time to San Francisco from Shasta, and leave after less than two years. Turmoil at the COO level usually shows more turmoil at the top. Unfortunately our shareholders can’t fire this CEO, HRH-2 who can never seem to get it right. Ron George for all his excesses had one COO. Her highness has has had 4 . What does that tell everyone?
sharonkramer
July 9, 2014
I’ve reviewed comments on this thread this morning. A lot of thumbs down regarding a Brown appointed, junior judge violating Canons of Judicial ethics when backdoor lobbying for the judge with the worst record in the state to be re-elected — and in reality, back door politicking for all superior court judges to keep their appointments for life and never face voter re-election/ousting. The thumbs down don’t bother me. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
What bothers me is what the thumbs down say about this is the big picture.
Why would you think that any legislator would think the trial judges would do a more ethical job of managing the courts’ coffers than those currently in control, when clearly the trial judges have demonstrated a group opinion that they are above the law?
It makes me mad that all the hard work of JCW and other court employees to remove control from the compromised souls at the JC and its staff, gets tarnished and diminished when those they would like to see take control also demonstrate a lack of ethics and lack of concern for the rights of others.
Justice California has shown you criminal acts occurring in the courts themselves. I’ve shown you criminal acts in the courts while working with those who control the courts. This includes the judge in the state with the worst ethics record — who just got re-elected with the full support of the trial judges.
So here’s the point: I want to see the courts returned to more autonomy, which means I want to see the courts have greater control of their own funds. If you want to see that happen, then clean your house, trial judges, so others will take you serious that your goal is to rid the judicial branch of compromised souls who squander funds in their own best interest. Otherwise, you appear to be nothing more pots calling kettles black while aiding NOTHING to change for a very long time.
If you want to understand why Tani and company keep doing whatever the Hell they want and no one stops them, then look in the mirror for the appearance of giving no better alternative to the current situation.
Here is my prediction of the audit outcome:
The AOC failed to do A, B, C. It is recommended that the JC take greater control of its staff by implementing D, E, F. JC response, “Okay, we promise we will do a better job in the future, and this time we really, really, mean it. Woo hoo! Now bring on that money — until the next audit!”
JCW, thank you for allowing me to directly state this obvious chink in the armour of those who want change in an effort to return autonomy and justice to California.
MaxRebo5
July 9, 2014
“I am immensely grateful that committee members have agreed to take on this significant task,” the Chief Justice said. “It’s the next logical step in my ongoing efforts to look at how the judicial branch conducts its business. My expectation is that the full commission will be appointed by the fall and will hold its first meeting by December. I hope it will be able to report back to me within 24 months.”
Two years for this new committee to write up it’s report! I am exhausted just thinking about how brutally slow the Chief is to reform and cut the Judicial Council’s staff. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? How many lame committees does she get to create and not be held accountable for branch administrative failures? These committees are perfect tools for pretending to be reforming but not really changing anything.
The Chief put Jody Patel in charge and brought in Yamasaki and Chatters as the trial court executives. All the same insiders lead her new task force. If anyone was thinking she was maybe going to change in light of the renaming of the AOC and Jahr’s departure I say think again. This action along with Curt Soderlund being the recipient of the Vickrey award should make it 100% clear that her Team George insiders are not going anywhere for years to come. She isn’t changing or reforming at all.
http://www.courts.ca.gov/26627.htm
Wendy Darling
July 9, 2014
” If anyone was thinking she was maybe going to change in light of the renaming of the AOC and Jahr’s departure I say think again.”
I, for one, never thought any such thing.
And speaking of the Vickrey award, I knew everything I ever needed to know about Tani Cantil Sakauye when the State Legislature demanded that he be fired, and Sakauye not only defended Vickrey, but praised him and exalted him, and then named an award after him, for “excellence” in judicial administration, of all things.
It remains astonishing hat a branch administrator at Vickrey’s level could waste over half a billion dollars on the biggest failure of a public IT project in California history, lie to the state legislature, and others, over and over again, destroy the credibility of his office, violate the public trust, leave the branch in shambles, and get an award named after himself for “excellence” in judicial administration.
Receiving that award is a mark of shame and disgrace of the highest order. But shame and disgrace doesn’t exist in the minds branch “leadership” at 455 Golden Gate Avenue. And nothing is going to change or be “reformed” about that.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
Wendy Darling
July 9, 2014
Not to mention that Vickrey had an embezzlement of public funds happen under his watch at the AOC, which Vickrey not only knew about, but never held anyone accountable for and covered up.
Apparently, that qualifies as setting a standard for “excellence” in judicial branch administration in California.
And Queen Feckless just can’t figure out why Sacramento won’t just give her an extra hundred million dollars or so.
You just can’t make this stuff up. Really.
Long live the ACJ.
Been There
July 10, 2014
Wendy, with respect to the embezzlement by (I believe) an HR staffer — why no prosecution? Did the staffer have some leverage that made them absolutely untouchable? After all the information disclosed by whistleblowers and on this site, it doesn’t seem likely that the AOC would have been deterred by someone threatening to tell all (and which would have put the embezzler in the curious position of the pot calling out the kettle). Something else must have been part of the equation. A couple of thoughts come to mind, but I would not want to speculate.
wearyant
July 10, 2014
Re an embezzlement my experience with law enforcement is, it is absolutely charged and prosecuted no matter what the victim’s wishes are. I know speculation and a couple dollars might buy a cuppa coffee, but you gotta wonder whether the embezzlement was ever reported to the appropriate, um, agency? Is this occurring in that strange and very rich county … again? Oh, well.
Wendy Darling
July 10, 2014
Why no prosecution? What a very good question.
Maybe there was no prosecution because the AOC’s HR Director hired his good friend, and did so by hiring him outside of the approved hiring channels. Instead the good friend was hired through a temp agency that, as happens, the wife of the AOC’s HR Director had a financial interest in.
Or maybe it was because the good friend, hired through the temp agency the wife of the AOC’s HR Director had a financial interest in, had a criminal record for felony theft, and by being hired this way, the good friend escaped the requirement of a criminal background check for State employment. Which the good friend would have failed.
Or maybe it was because Vickrey et al knew all of this, and it was why the AOC’s HR Director was allowed to hire the good friend. On purpose.
Or maybe it was because the good friend spent considerable time on the weekends playing golf and other activities with the AOC’s HR Director, for which the good friend was subsequently paid overtime, at taxpayer expense.
Maybe it was because the District Attorney declined to prosecute. In testimony before the State legislature, Vickrey admitted the embezzlement happened, but then immediately claimed the embezzlement was reported to the San Francisco District Attorney, and the District Attorney (that would be Kamala Harris at the time, now the California Attorney General) declined to prosecute. Funny thing though. Crime reports are a matter of public record, and the San Francisco District Attorneys office had no record of any report of the embezzlement at the AOC, either before or after Vickrey’s testimony to the State Legislature.
Maybe it was because there was no jurisdiction to prosecute the crime. The office of the California Attorney General (Jerry Brown at the time, now Governor) was notified and given hard evidence and documentation of the embezzlement, along with other violations of the law at the AOC. The office of the California Attorney General sent back a letter stating the office of the California Attorney General had “no jurisdiction” over unlawful activities in the judicial branch and the AOC, and the matter should be reported to . . . the AOC’s HR Director and AOC Director, Bill Vickrey. So maybe there was no prosecution of the embezzlement because of that.
Or maybe there was no prosecution because of one of the favorite sayings at 455 Golden Gate Avenue: “There is isn’t anything that a phone call from the Chief Justice can’t fix.” Maybe it was because of that.
Based on personal knowledge and experience, I’m going with the last one.
For any unfamiliar with this particular issue, can read more here:
Did Hiring Exceptions Let A Fox Into AOC’s Henhouse? http://aocwatcher.wordpress.com/2009/09/
Long live the ACJ.
Been There
July 11, 2014
Thank God Wendy it was “only” one of the reasons you outlined. I was concerned that the thief may have gained protection by “sharing” the ill-gotten gains with higher ups — putting a new twist on the term “team player.”. 🙂 🙂
unionman575
July 9, 2014
http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/crime-fire-courts/new-budget-same-challenges-for-yolo-superior-court/
unionman575
July 9, 2014
http://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/17347781?trk=jserp_seo_page
PAY & BENEFITS
Monthly Salary Range:
$10,937 – $13,528 per month
unionman575
July 9, 2014
Hurry the closing date is August 1st, 2014.
Ok Stevie Boy (Steve Nash former AOC Money Man and current Contra Costa CEO) hurry up and apply my man and they’ll hire ya.
😉
http://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/17202395?trk=jserp_job_details_text
Administrative Director
Judicial Council of California – San Francisco or Sacramento
Posted 7 days ago
• Experience Executive
• Job function Management
• Employment type Full-time
• Industry Judiciary
• Job ID 17202395
Job description
The Administrative Director serves as Secretary to the Council and leads the Council’s staff in accomplishing its goals and priorities. Serving at the pleasure of the Council and Chief Justice, the Administrative Director performs functions as prescribed by the Constitution and laws of the State as delegated to the Director by the Chief Justice or the Judicial Council. Under the direction of the Chief Justice, the Administrative Director is accountable for providing strong leadership while modeling core values and guiding principles of integrity, pride, trust, and respect within this highly ethical statewide organization. Through a very capable leadership team, the Administrative Director oversees a values-based organization that implements Council-prioritized short-and long-term strategies to accomplish the California judicial system’s mission and vision. The Administrative Director is responsible for making recommendations to the Judicial Council and Chief Justice that result in cost-effective programs that better serve the courts, the Council, and the State of California.
The Administrative Director is involved in critical decision making related to overall administration and operations. Working closely with the Council, justices, judges, and advisory committees to plan for and implement a wide range of activities, the Administrative Director exercises considerable discretion with respect to assignments and duties. The position’s oversight includes managing and directing the Council’s budget and operations and its services, including facilities and asset management, intergovernmental agency relations, human resources and employee relations, legal, information technology, risk management, strategic planning, and other services unique to operations of a statewide judicial system.
Key responsibilities of the Administrative Director include:
• Reports regularly to and works closely with the Chief Justice on issues related to the Judicial Council;
• Directs all aspects of operations for a complex professional organization of more than 700 employees with diverse professional disciplines who work from multiple locations;
• Directs the development and implementation of strategic goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards that support Judicial Council policies and priorities;
• Assists the Chief Justice and the Council in implementing Judicial Council policies;
• Develops policy and program documents, and communicates and develops support for Council-adopted policies, including related legislative proposals and rules of the court;
• Assists the Chief Justice and the Council in activities related to the development and allocation of judicial branch fiscal resources, including advocating for sufficient judicial branch funding to the Executive Branch and Legislature of the State of California and to agencies of the federal government;
• Serves as liaison for the judiciary in its relations with the Legislature and the Governor and, in that role, directs activities in support of the Judicial Council legislative agenda;
• Serves as liaison, building consensus and problem solving on issues of mutual concern, with leadership of other departments of state and local government; state, local and specialty bars; labor unions; other state courts systems; and other justice system partners and stakeholders;
• Leads statewide programs and projects that provide support to the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and trial courts to meet the diverse, current, and future needs of the state courts system and constituents; and
• Provides appropriate public accountability through media relations and efforts designed to promote public trust and confidence in the California judiciary.
Desired Skills and Experience
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will have a verifiable and highly successful career with a record of demonstrated leadership in guiding an organization that embraces best practices while providing a transparent, highly collaborative, and constructive culture to effectively and efficiently deliver its mission. The successful candidate will be a confident, “hands on,” creative, and innovative leader who is comfortable operating in a robust and dynamic environment. The next Administrative Director will also be intuitive, perceptive, and know when to lead and when to be supportive. The successful candidate must also be results-oriented and committed to serving the California judiciary with the ability to help shape the vision on an array of complex and interesting topics impacting the California judiciary.
The next Administrative Director will also need to be energetic, self-confident, and have an open and approachable personal style. The ideal candidate must also be able to provide “servant leadership” that will inspire, motivate, and empower key staff to achieve established goals. The position requires someone who is politically astute with superior interpersonal and communication skills, demonstrating a comfort and desire in interacting with a variety of judges and diverse stakeholders.
The ideal candidate should have a strong track record of success and leadership in:
• Financial operations, including large-scale fiscal management and budgetary control;
• Service-delivery, improvements, and efficiency;
• Dynamic and strategic planning; the ability to assess continuing changes to budget and staff, and capitalize on innovations in information technology to promote continuous rethinking of the administrative operations of the branch; and
• Collaboration; the ability to partner with the Judicial Council, the Chief Justice and other judicial branch entities to provide the necessary support and resources to the Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and trial courts in maintaining a state-of-the-art, 21st century model of court management excellence.
In addition, the ideal candidate should have the ability to:
• Collaborate with the Judicial Council, judges, and staff leadership to achieve the Council’s mission, as established by the Chief Justice, within budget limitations;
• Direct a large and complex statewide organization engaged in a large number of diverse programs;
• Monitor and advise on legislative activity (county, state, and federal levels); and
• Establish, develop, and maintain good working relationships with other public
governmental organizations, federal and State legislatures, private agencies, community groups, and the communication media.
The Selection Process
This is a confidential recruitment. Candidates are encouraged to apply immediately, with the first review of resumes to begin following the closing date of August 1st, 2014. Electronic submittals preferred & should be submitted to the Judicial Council HR Office at felizia.nava-kardon@jud.ca.gov. Please include a compelling cover letter, comprehensive resume, salary history and professional references.
Qualifying Experience and Education
The ideal experience for this position: a minimum of ten years of significant management experience in an administrative capacity in a court system with similar complexities. Other public sector candidates with public agency experience may also be considered, if they can demonstrate a successful track record of increasingly responsible experience as a “generalist” at the executive level in a comparable sized organization. Generalist candidates will also need to demonstrate a keen understanding of the court system and legal matters in order to competitive.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required. A degree in law or an advanced degree in judicial administration, public administration, business administration, or a related discipline is desired.
Judicial Council of California
The California Judicial Branch
The California Judicial Branch comprises 58 trial courts (one in each county), six intermediate appellate courts in nine locations, and the Supreme Court, with more than 2,100 judicial officers and approximately 20,000 employees. The California Judicial Branch has an annual budget of almost $3 billion dollars, including capital improvement projects. The trial courts range in size from two judges to more than 450 judicial officers.
The Judicial Council
By an amendment to Article VI of the State Constitution in 1926, the citizens of California established the Judicial Council. The Council is responsible for improving statewide administration of the California courts, the largest court system in the nation.
The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators. The Council functions with the assistance of multiple advisory committees, task forces, and its staff arm.
The Judicial Council collaborates with committees from the courts and justice system partners in shaping branch-wide policy in order to create innovative programs essential to advancing the administration of justice, and to provide direct services to the appellate and trial courts. By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council will continue to evolve as one of California’s most dynamic public service organizations, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public.
The Council’s staff, comprised of more than 700 fulltime employees, is organized into three divisions with 19 offices across three locations in California: San Francisco, Sacramento and Burbank. To learn more about these divisions and offices, please visit: http://www.courts.ca.gov/12926.htm
unionman575
July 9, 2014
Yep that IS a DOUBlE Wipeout Tani!
😉
sharonkramer
July 10, 2014
“Serving at the pleasure of the Council and Chief Justice, the Administrative Director performs functions as prescribed by the Constitution and laws of the State”
Conflicting job description. Does the Admin Director serve the pleasure of the JC and CJ, or does this person perform functions as precribed by the Constitution and laws of the State? Clearly, they are not the same thing.
JusticeCalifornia
July 10, 2014
“Under the direction of the Chief Justice, the Administrative Director is accountable for providing strong leadership while modeling core values and guiding principles of integrity, pride, trust, and respect within this highly ethical statewide organization. ”
“integrity, pride, trust and respect within this highly ethical organization. . . ..”
considering the past two recipients of the Vickrey award for excellence in administration, this I have to see.
Wendy Darling
July 9, 2014
The audit being conducted by Elaine Howle will probably identify numerous “efficiencies” that could be used. All of which will likely be ignored. Published today, Wednesday, July 9, from The Recorder, the on-line publication of CalLaw, by Cheryl Miller:
Rebuffed on Funding, Chief Justice Moves Forward on Commission
Cheryl Miller, The Recorder
SACRAMENTO — Following through on a pledge she made in January, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye created a commission Wednesday that will recommend “ways to increase the efficiency of adjudicating cases.”
Supreme Court Justice Carol Corrigan will head the commission. Administrative Presiding Justice William McGuiness of the First District Court of Appeal will serve as vice chair.
“We are at a pivotal moment for our financially strapped judicial system,” Cantil-Sakauye said in a prepared statement. Over the next two years, the commission will “take a fresh look” at issues facing the branch and “develop practical, achievable recommendations that may be implemented by the Judicial Council, the Legislature, or the governor,” she said.
The chief justice first broached the idea of a commission in January when she unveiled her “blueprint” for the judiciary, which called for more than $1 billion in new funding and at least 50 new trial court judgeships over the next three years. Though the Legislature and governor expressed sympathy for the enormous cuts the branch has faced in recent years, the final 2014-15 budget offered just $129 million in new money and no new judges.
Cantil-Sakauye said that the spending plan would mean “more disappointment, service reductions, and delay for those who need our courts.”
Gov. Jerry Brown told reporters in May that judicial leaders need to develop more ” elegant and efficient ways” of doing business with less money instead of opting for more courthouse closures and operations cuts. He’s left it up to those leaders to figure out what those new “ways” are.
The branch has proposed two dozen so-called efficiencies, things such as charging fees for court file searches and destruction of aging records. Most of those proposals, however, have languished or been rejected outright in the Legislature amid opposition from various interests.
Trial court leaders have compiled a list of “efficient and effective” programs used around the state, although it’s unclear if some of them, such as hosting Constitution Day in high schools, save any money.
The chief justice also named 20 additional jurists, court administrators and lawyers to serve on the commission’s new executive committee.
“I am immensely grateful that committee members have agreed to take on this significant task,” Cantil-Sakauye said. “It’s the next logical step in my ongoing efforts to look at how the judicial branch conducts its business.”
The chief justice said she expects the full commission to be named by the fall and hold its first meeting in December.
http://www.therecorder.com/id=1202662702887/Rebuffed-on-Funding-Chief-Justice-Moves-Forward-on-Commission
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
July 9, 2014
““It’s the next logical step in my ongoing efforts to look at how the judicial branch conducts its business.”
😉
Uh huh.
Wendy Darling
July 9, 2014
At least she admitted that all she’s doing is looking, Unionman. Not actually doing anything, except crying poverty to anyone with earshot, while being chauffeured around by the CHP at taxpayer expense. Just looking.
You know, like accident gawkers rubbernecking at the scene of an accident, slowing down to get a good look. Nothing to actually contribute. Just looking.
Long live the ACJ.
courtflea
July 11, 2014
ya, she will be looking alright, at everything else but what is right under her nose: the AOC, er, JC. What is needed is more AOC control over trial court spending no doubt. Make them bleed until they come up with more “elegant and effiecient” ways to run their courts. It sure won’t be the JC/AOC doing so. Heck they still have to pay the bill for their name change!
But ya gotta love it, appointing another “committee” is the solution to all problems. Come to think of it, so is appointing a new director aka stepford man. Did you ever notice there was something weird about Jahrheads eyes? 🙂
sharonkramer
July 11, 2014
“The office of the California Attorney General sent back a letter stating the office of the California Attorney General had “no jurisdiction” over unlawful activities in the judicial branch and the AOC, and the matter should be reported to “…whoever committed the unlawful act that was reported to Harris.
I got the same type of letter from Kamala Harris. It is complete bullshit and is not a lawful response. When there is a repeated pattern of racketeering occurring over and over again and in many different ways on many different levels within a branch of government, the attorney general not only has the jurisdiction, she has the job description duty to investigate. There’s no such animanl as untouchable judicial immunity for criminal administrative acts by government employeed entities..
JusticeCalifornia
July 11, 2014
No response at all yet from Kamala Harris or Tani Cantil Sakauye at all re the backdated register of actions and minute order in Marin.
One law enforcement official who did respond suggested that the Federal Bureau of Investigation needs to get a copy of that complaint.
One thing for sure. Crimes have been and are taking place at the VERY highest level of the CA Judicial Branch.
When people at the VERY highest levels are willing to engage in illegal/unethical behavior, or allow others to engage in illegal behavior; when people shred and cover up for illegal/unethical behavior, or SOLICIT and reward individuals known for their ability to shred and cover up; when people retaliate against those who call out the illegal behavior, or direct or allow that retaliation, we don’t have a judicial branch, we have a system of organized crime.
We here have all known that we are dealing with organized crime within the branch. Those in law enforcement know it as well. They see it all the time. The question is, who is going to stop it, and how.
sharonkramer
July 11, 2014
“re the backdated register of actions and minute order in Marin.”
If someone did that in a real estate deal to steal property of another, they’d be in jail for a felony. Yet, it, happens quite often in the Cal courts, and Tani KNOWS it as does Harris.
Proof of falsifying material legal documents with supervisors trying to cover it up, is a powerful weapon against the entire broken branch. Those are Penal Code 134 violations. Providing direct evidence of a repeated pattern of it throughout the state, is even more powerful.
SWOV has turned criminal in California courtrooms and is sometimes even deadly. Don’t forget, they got Al Capone for tax evasion.
Wendy Darling
July 11, 2014
And the push for Justice Steinberg continues. Published today, Friday, July 11, 2014, from The Recorder, the on-line publication of CalLaw, by Cheryl Miller:
The article notes that Brown may want to scrutiny regarding his judicial appointments in advance of the November election. Politics being what they are in Sacramento, I would expect Brown to wait until after he is re-elected Governor in November, and has nothing left to lose politically, before he puts Steinberg on the California bench.
Wiki-Bill Writer Ready to Hack Good Government. Plus, Senator Eyes High Court Appointment
Cheryl Miller, The Recorder
July 11, 2014
SACRAMENTO — How about a hackathon for good government?
Assemblyman Mike Gatto, he of the first-ever California wiki bill, is pursuing “X Prize” legislation that would offer cash awards to developers of “great ideas and intellectual property that solves a specific problem, innovates a process, or otherwise streamlines a system within a government agency.”
<snip?
*****
Recent Capitol chatter has suggested that termed-out Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, covets one of two vacant seats on the state Supreme Court.
A gushing July 1 column in the Ventura County Star said that Gov. Jerry Brown should offer the productive senator a seat on the high court, and that Steinberg appears "overqualified" to be Sacramento mayor, a job he once seemed interested in. Veteran Los Angeles Times scribe George Skelton tweeted July 9 that Steinberg has "pitched" Brown on an appointment.
Steinberg isn't tamping down the talk. Cornered near his office on July 3, Steinberg said that the governor "has a lot of good candidates to choose from." Asked if he might be one of them, he replied, "I do love the law" and then politely scurried behind a door.
Trying to predict Brown's political machinations is a fool's errand. He does like judicial candidates with varied backgrounds. Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu and Justice James Humes of the First District Court of Appeal had no judicial experience when Brown appointed them. And after working closely with Steinberg for the last four years, the governor wouldn't need much vetting to know what he's getting: a social liberal with—like him—deep roots in government.
Yet it all seems so, well, unlikely. Steinberg is a hands-on politician. He's assumed a lead role in most of the major issues bubbling in the Senate, from mental health policy to the water bond to medical malpractice limits. He wouldn't hold much sway over the Supreme Court's docket, which is increasingly filled with death penalty cases; Steinberg opposes capital punishment.
Steinberg wouldn't be the chief on the high court, although his law school classmate Tani Cantil-Sakauye is. It's a body that has espoused consensus and collegiality. He likes the media and public events. The Supreme Court? If the pro tem thinks the Capitol press corps has shrunk in recent years, he should see the tiny number of reporters who regularly cover the seven justices and their work.
There's also the fact that Steinberg's a politician. The suggestion that he's maneuvering for an appointment, real or not, will put his actions, and perhaps those of the governor, under a microscope in the final weeks of session. Horse-trading may be good politics, but it just looks so unseemly cast in a judicial light. It's a conflict Brown may want to avoid in an election year. Don't forget, too, that Brown is under pressure from legislators and ethnic bars to appoint a Latino and an African-American to the court.
Then there's the X-factor. Does Brown see Steinberg as a philosophical soul mate in the law? Brown famously invited Liu to his Oakland home to chat with him and his wife about his legal theories. Do current executive/legislative negotiations about the mechanics of a water bond ever drift into chats about the legacy of the Traynor court? That's hard to say. But it's hard to see.
Skelton isn't seeing it either.
"He'd be solid pick," Skelton tweeted, "but doesn't seem the Brown type. Doesn't speak Latin."
http://www.therecorder.com/home/id=1202663017318/WikiBill-Writer-Ready-to-Hack-Good-Government-Plus-Senator-Eyes-High-Court-Appointment%3Fmcode=1202617072607&curindex=0
Long live the ACJ.
Lando
July 12, 2014
Steinberg is a legend in his own mind . Governor Brown appointed one of the most thoughtful and intelligent Justices when he placed Justice Liu on the Supreme Court. Since then he has placed a number of equally thoughtful individuals on the Court of Appeal. I trust this Governor to make appointments based on the merits rather than finding a term limited out and otherwise unqualified State Senator such a new high profile job.
Wendy Darling
July 12, 2014
From your lips to God’s ears, or, as the case may be, the Governor’s ears, Lando. For everyone’s sake, one of the last people on the face of the earth that should be placed on the California bench is Steinberg.
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
July 12, 2014
Steinberg is a legend in his own mind .
The OBT
July 12, 2014
If we were still in the Ron George era, someone like Steinberg might have actually fifound themselves on the high court as he played a key role in defeating AB 1208 which would have reformed the Judicial Council and their control over the trial courts . In contrast this Governor appoints Justices on the basis of merit, intelligence, diversity and an understanding of the importance of judicial ethics.
sharonkramer
July 12, 2014
It would seem that Mr. Steinberg — Cal Senate Chair and Senate rep on the JC — has too much political history during an ethics black out in the courts to be able to morph into an unbiased justice. With that said, one never knows what promises have been made along the way.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/11/5727262/california-judicial-council-opposes.html
JusticeCalifornia
July 12, 2014
If Steinberg wants a seat on the Supreme Court, there will be intense POLITICAL pressure on Governor Brown from Sakauye and Steinberg to make that happen. Steinberg will play politics to get a spot on the bench, and he will play politics from the bench if he is ever appointed.
It would be very sad indeed if our Governor made a Supreme Court appointment of a career politician based on politics. The best and the brightest, most respected, experienced, ethical, intelligent judges deserve those spots.
Anna
July 12, 2014
Do you think that the name change had anything to do with the practice of the AOC hiring outside law firms to do the work for writing opinions and responses for judges in
CCP 170.1 challenges?
Anna
July 12, 2014
and other matters………………..?
sharonkramer
July 13, 2014
Do you have proof of the AOC contracting without outside counsel to write opinions and responses for judicial court officers? If so, does this mean that the JC is now accepting liability when court docs such as remittiturs are falsified to be consistent with the bogus opinions? How does one find out who actually wrote opinions?
Jimmy
July 13, 2014
This is in response to Anna’s comment about the AOC contracting with outside law firms to write opinions for CCP 170.1 challenges: according to CCP 170.3, within 5 days after the response/answer is filed by the affected judge, the parties can either agree on a judge to rule on the challenge, or the matter is referred to the Chair of the Judicial Council to assign a judge for that purpose. I am a California trial judge and can tell you that I have had parties agree to have me be the one to rule on a challenge, and I am also regularly contacted by the Assigned Judges’ Program requesting that I rule on challenges filed in other counties. While I can’t speak for anyone but myself, I have always prepared my own rulings without assistance from any outside law firm. Moreover, such assistance has not been offered to me.
JusticeCalifornia
July 13, 2014
The Marin judges regularly have expensive outside counsel represent them. Marin court personnel (like Family Court Services) also have had expensive outside counsel represent them during cross examination.
sharonkramer
July 13, 2014
The San Diego judges and their CEO are represented by outside counsel while defendants in the Cal Coalition of Families and Children RICO suit. They and their attorneys tried to intimidate and scare off the parents by trying to have them sanctioned $10,000 for filing the lawsuit. This suit includes the judge with the worst judicial ethics record on record in the entire state — who was just re-elected with the help of her peers locally and from across the state. Nice stuff, eh?
JusticeCalifornia
July 14, 2014
For almost two decades certain individuals in top oversight and leadership positions in all three branches have gotten away with giving half-a$$ed pass-the-buck unbelievable excuses for ignoring, minimizing and/or actually supporting corrupt and/or irresponsible behavior within the judicial branch, and/or attacking those who have documented and reported such behavior. These certain individuals are not going to know what to do with themselves when faced with an impenetrable wall of demands from all directions (colleagues, judges, court employees, litigants, lawyers, court reporters, oversight entities in all three branches, press members and others) that they now, finally, take action against patently illegal/unethical/harmful-to-the-public behavior of members of the judicial branch from the top on down. These certain individuals are not going to know how to explain to the public and the press (some during election years) why they have done nothing for so long to stop (or perhaps have facilitated) documented unethical/illegal behavior and whistle blower retaliation taking place unabated in the judicial branch during their watch on the public dime.
The almost-amusing implosion amongst the corrupt in the judicial branch continues. I predict, again, that as the demand for action by all three branches against corruption in the judicial branch grows, it will become every corrupt man and woman for himself/herself.
Wikipedia: “Implosion is a process in which objects are destroyed by collapsing (or being squeezed in) on themselves. The opposite of explosion, implosion concentrates matter and energy. True implosion usually involves a difference between internal (lower) and external (higher) pressure, or inward and outward forces, that is so large that the structure collapses inward into itself.[citation needed] An example of implosion is a submarine being crushed from the outside by the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding water. Also, it is helpful to note that due to the processes that cause an implosion, the object reacts from the inside out.”
Just my opinion.
Wendy Darling
July 14, 2014
I’ll believe it when I see it.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
long live the ACJ.
unionman575
July 15, 2014
Let’s get busy…
http://www.courts.ca.gov/rupromeetings.htm
sharonkramer
July 15, 2014
Good stuff, Unionman. One agenda item on the 17th:
“Item 1
Judicial Branch Administration: Retirement of the Name “Administrative Office of the Courts” or “AOC” (Cal. Rules of Court, rules 10.1, 10.80, and 10.81) (Action Required)
Presenter: Hon. Douglas P. Miller”
Don’t see anywhere for public comment to take place in this “Open Meeting”.
BTW, got a message from a friend today that the Cal DOJ was tracking me on their website on July 10th. This is within days after I posted on JCW of McConnell committing Penal Code 134 violations of falsifying court docs with no subject matter jurisdicion, and thus no immunity to fleece the US public over the mold issue — along with the judge who has the worst ethics record in the state, et. al. AND that Tani was provided the direct evidence but refused to act.
If the Cal DOJ wants to know what’s going on, all they had to do was respond to my letters and calls in a manner that is not a complete blow off.
If anyone wants to know the IP address of the Cal DOJ, its
Sacramento, California, United States
IP Address: California Department Of Justice (167.10.196.156)
Hiding in plain sight,
Mrs. Kramer
unionman575
July 15, 2014
Wendy Darling
July 15, 2014
455 Golden Gate Avenue can try and “retire” the name, but it is, and will remain, the AOC, i.e., the Administrative Office of Corruption.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
unionman575
July 15, 2014
http://www.courts.ca.gov/ctac.htm
CTAC (Committee) Meeting
Date: Friday, July 18, 2014
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Public Meeting
10:30 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. Nonpublic Meeting
Location: Teleconference
Call-In Number: 1-877-820-7831 Public Access Code # 4348559 (listen only)
😉
unionman575
July 15, 2014
WTF? Why not make it a doubleheader?
;
http://www.courts.ca.gov/cfac.htm
Court Facilities Advisory Committee and Courthouse Cost Reduction Subcommittee Meeting
Date: Friday, July 18, 2014, 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Teleconference
Public Call-in Number: 1-877-820-7831, Passcode: 1027209
unionman575
July 15, 2014
http://www.courts.ca.gov/epmeetings.htm
;
http://www.courts.ca.gov/jctc.htm
Oh boy another double header!
JC humps are working some OT at the Death Star
JusticeCalifornia
July 15, 2014
“California’s Broken Branch”
Statewide Judicial Protest
Friday, September 19, 2014
350 McAllister Street, San Francisco
11:00am – 1:00pm
sharonkramer
July 16, 2014
What role does the AOC name change play in attempts to limit liability for past and future wrongs within the Cal judicial branch? Who does it aid to shield?
unionman575
July 16, 2014
See #5 here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/whitewash
Dante
July 16, 2014
It doesn’t shield anyone or anything. The name change is meaningless, but not necessarily Machiavellian.
Dante
July 16, 2014
http://www.courts.ca.gov/26627.htm
Same ol’ people who will come up with the same ol’ results. What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Judicial Council Watcher
July 16, 2014
puzzling it is that justices should lead a group looking for trial court efficiencies……… How about starting with looking in your own back yard at the many forms produced over the last 10 years by the JC?
Judicial Council Watcher
July 16, 2014
They buy themselves 24 mos to produce nothing meaningful and to stall for time……Because 18 mos clearly wasn’t working. 🙂
Wendy Darling
July 16, 2014
“They buy themselves 24 mos to produce nothing meaningful and to stall for time……”
And for that entire time, Queen Feckless and her foaming-at-the-mouth, tone-deaf, and blind loyalists will be crying poverty and demanding “more money” from Sacramento as the solution to all the problems in the judicial branch. Just give us “more money” and everything will be fine.
Meanwhile, Queen Feckless will continue to be happily chauffeured around by the CHP. Probably while eating cake.
As Dante has correctly identified, it’s just the same ol’ people who will come up with the same ol’ results. And oh, by the way, isn’t this what the SEC committee was supposed to be about? Or are we supposed to have all forgotten about that by now?
“More money” isn’t going to fix what is really wrong in and with the California Judicial Branch. And neither will yet another “commission”, regardless of how many blue ribbons you hang on it. Everyone that matters in Sacramento has figured this out by now.
Except for judicial branch “leadership”. They’re still all happily sipping away on the Kool-Aid.
You just can’t make this stuff up. Really.
Long live the ACJ.
MaxRebo5
July 16, 2014
This caught my eye in the news.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/16/us-usa-deathpenalty-california-idUSKBN0FL2HC20140716
Seems delays in CA Courts are violating the US Constitution for the death penalty and it amounts to cruel and unusual punishment for criminals on death row. Ouch!
I sure wish a Federal judge would step in to get the Chief to change the culture and leadership of the Judicial Council and it’s staff. That’s a delay amounting to cruel and unusual punishment for the regular upstanding people of CA trying to use CA Courts.
We didn’t commit any crime so how come we’re stuck with a death sentence of Team George mismanaging CA Courts forever?
wearyant
July 16, 2014
This caught my eye, with apologies to MaxRebo5:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-utah-attorneys-general-20140715-story.html
It won’t be too long at this rate and they’ll be coming for our attractive Kamala. 😉
JusticeCalifornia
July 16, 2014
Great posts, MaxRebo5 and wearyant.
delay, obfuscation, or outright refusal to act by those who are paid by the public to protect the public amounts to facilitation. . . .or worse.
JusticeCalifornia
July 18, 2014
The AG has suggested that the complaint re evidence tampering/obstruction of justice crimes committed by former Judicial Council member Kim Turner in conjunction with Marin Judge Beverly Wood should be referred to the CJP, the AOC (aka the cj and judicial council), and the Marin presiding judge. Via a letter delivered back to her this week, the question has been posed as to who, if not she, should be referred to perform a CRIMINAL investigation of CRIMES committed by members of the CA judicial branch.
Awaiting an answer from Harris. Curious to see if she says we have to take complaints about all criminal actions by all members (including all employees) of our state judicial branch to the feds for investigation, and to federal court for relief.
Will keep you all posted as to what our AG says.
Wendy Darling
July 18, 2014
From 2007 and 2008: “The office of the California Attorney General has no jurisdiction over unlawful activities taking place within the California Judicial Branch and the Administrative Office of the Courts.”
Some things never change.
Long live the ACJ.
JusticeCalifornia
July 19, 2014
At this point Sakauye, the CJP and the presiding judge of Marin all know that they have been referred by the AG to deal with a complaint about criminal actions of state court members/personnel.
The merry-go-round is going to STOP. Backdating official certified registers of actions and minute orders when the date of entry is the issue is serious business. Non-lawyer Judnick cannot spout non-lawyer BS and make it go away. We will find out from our legal top dogs (JC chair Sakauye and AG Harris) who they think is responsible for investigating and prosecuting the criminal actions of state judicial branch members and personnel. We will find out from our Governor what he thinks about this mess, created by a Commissioner about whom both he and the JNE Commission were well-informed, before she was appointed Brown appointed her judge..
It is significant that the Marin Sheriff, DA, and Presiding Judge have not yet responded– what are they waiting for? In all other states this is a major crime, worthy of indictment. In ever-so-corrupt Marin, CA, six weeks out– dead silence, except for “a letter will be coming”. Are they scrambling to figure out how to duck and cover for what they have known is going on and have covered for? Or are they trying to figure out how to take on the wealthy tyrants who have ruled the corrupt Marin roost for decades?
One thing for sure. THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. It took a long, silent, brutal, expensive pro bono year to make this egregious record of misconduct, and someone is now going to have to take responsibility and answer for it.
Wendy Darling
July 19, 2014
“someone is now going to have to take responsibility and answer for it.”
I’ll believe it when I see it.
I’m a firm believer in past behavior being a good predictor of future conduct. Based on that reality, no one is going be held responsible or answer for any of it. The Teflon effect will take care of all of it. That, and a phone call from the Chief Justice, can fix anything.
Still serving themselves to the detriment of all Californians.
Long live the ACJ.
JusticeCalifornia
July 19, 2014
Like so many tyrants before them, many inside and outside the court system intensely dislike Wood (read: Freitas McCarthy made man) and Turner (read: “top leadership” –CJ/JC/AOC/NCSC made man). Both are arrogant, both think they can do whatever they want to, both think they are forever protected. There comes a point when so many dislike them, and they have arrogantly done and/or supported so many patently stupid things, and their actions pose such a threat to so many, no one wants to be associated with them anymore. The price is just too high.
And that holds true for all tyrants within the branch. We all know their names well. Sakauye, Huffman, McConnell, etc., etc., etc.. . . .to start with, and don’t get me started.
Just my opinion. LOL.
In any event, IMHO, Wood and Turner must leave the branch. Now. Or those overseeing what they have done are going to have a lot of ‘splainin to do. I know it hurts and confuses and confounds all those who have supported and/or covered for these two (and their well-connected related others) for their own benefit, but like the stock market, at some point smart people will realize it is best to get out while the getting is good.
Yep. Just my opinion.
JusticeCalifornia
July 19, 2014
Turn tail and ran Ron George –in the press and supported by ever so many at one time–got out while the getting was good, never to be heard from since. Leaving everyone else to hold the bag.
LOL. What does that tell you?
Team George has gone down. We are dealing with his rapidly deflating life rafts, the last floating remnants of the Team George Titanic, those who are willing to do the dirty clean-up work, as the inevitable audits continue.
Steinberg, Dunn, Harris, Brown, is this what you want to tie your own professional life boats to? I think not.
Just my opinion.
sharonkramer
July 18, 2014
Please help save lives. Support legislation to hold corporate criminals accountable.
“It is always one’s moral duty to speak up when doing so could save lives.”
Read more Re: your needed support for the US Senate “Hide No Harm Act”
https://katysexposure.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/please-help-save-lives-support-legislation-to-hold-corporate-criminals-accountable/
sharonkramer
July 18, 2014
JC, purely for documentation purposes when you end up having to file a federal RICO suit, it would be my suggestion that you DO file a complaint with the CJP and notify the JC, the JC litigation mgmt committee and their staff agency what’s-their-names. CC Harris to keep her as documenbted as being in the loop.
What you will receive from them is a statement saying the CJP does not have the authority to act on complaints for criminal acts of judges and certainly not for those who are not judges.
Contrary to what the CJP will ludricously reply, criminal acts by jurists are logically understood to be judicial ethics violations subject to admonishment by the CJP.