Advisory Committees

Civil Jury Instructions Advisory Committee

Regularly reviews case law and statutes affecting jury instructions and makes recommendations to the council for updating, amending, and adding topics to the council's civil jury instructions.

For more information, please visit: https://www4.courts.ca.gov/partners/317.htm

Updates & Resources

Judicial Council of California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI) 

  • 2025 Edition as adopted by the Judicial Council November 2024
Members

The advisory committee includes members who are appellate court justices, trial court judges, lawyers whose primary practice area is civil law, and a law professor whose primary area of expertise is civil law. The committee reports to the Judicial Council and is overseen by the Rules Committee of the council. Members are appointed by the Chief Justice. Membership list

Hon. Adrienne M. Grover, Chair, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal Sixth Appellate District
Hon. Suzanne Ramos Bolanos, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
Ms. Kathleen A. Brewer, Attorney at Law Brewer Law Office
Hon. Tana L Coates, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo
Mr. Nicholas P. Connon, Attorney at Law Connon Wood LLP
Hon. John P. Devine, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa
Hon. Cynthia A. Freeland, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
Mr. Paul T. Hayden, Professor of Law & William G. Coskran Chair Loyola Law School
Mr. Michael A. Kelly, Attorney at Law Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Ms. Michelle G. Lee, Attorney at Law Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe LLP
Mr. Joseph P. McMonigle, Attorney at Law Long & Levit LLP
Hon. Marla J. Miller, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal First Appellate District, Division Two
Hon. Ioana Petrou, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal First Appellate District, Division Three
Ms. Melinda Pilling, Supervising Chambers Attorney Supreme Court of California
Mr. Julian W. Poon, Attorney at Law Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Mr. Rahul Ravipudi, Attorney at Law Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi LLP
Mr. Todd M. Schneider, Attorney at Law Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky LLP
Hon. Deborah C. Servino, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange
Hon. T. Mark Smith, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Kern
Hon. Mark Wood Snauffer, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal Fifth Appellate District
Ms. Christine Spagnoli, Attorney at Law Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP
Hon. Jenna M. Whitman, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda
Hon. John Shepard Wiley Jr., Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal Second Appellate District, Division Eight

Liaison to Information and Technology Advisory Committee
Hon. Samantha P. Jessner, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles

Judicial Council Staff to the Committee
Mr. Eric Long, Lead Staff Attorney, Legal Services, Judicial Council of California
Ms. Stephanie Paone, Administrative Coordinator, Legal Services, Judicial Council of California

News & reports

Judicial Council of California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI) 

  • 2025 Edition as adopted by the Judicial Council November 2024

Prior Editions and Prior Supplements of CACI
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About

Date established

Information about this advisory body are outlined in the annual agenda.

History

The Advisory Committee on Civil Jury Instructions was created by former rule of court 6.58, effective September 1, 2003, now rule 10.58, which was amended and renumbered, effective January 1, 2007.

About 
These official instructions are the culmination of years of work by the Task Force on Jury Instructions to draft comprehensive, legally accurate jury instructions that are readily understood by the average juror. The Advisory Committee on Civil Jury Instructions regularly recommends to the Judicial Council updates, revisions, and additions to CACI.

Rules of Court
Rules of Court 10.58, 2.1050, and 2.1055 address the committee's work and the approval, use, and format of the Judicial Council's Civil Jury Instructions.

FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions about the California Civil Jury Instructions.

Contact Info

The committee welcomes comments. Email comments to civiljuryinstructions@jud.ca.gov.

Or you may send comments to:
Advisory Committee on Civil Jury Instructions
Attention Eric Long
c/o Judicial Council of California
Legal Services
455 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102-3588