Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee

Under rule 10.43 of the California Rules of Court, the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee includes members in the following categories: appellate court justice, trial court judicial officer, judicial administrator, child custody mediator, family law attorney, juvenile law attorney, chief probation officer, child welfare director, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) director, county counsel, domestic violence advocate, district attorney, child support attorney, and public interest children’s rights attorney.

Download the Committee Roster

• Hon. Tari L. Cody, Cochair Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Six
• Hon. Stephanie E. Hulsey, Cochair, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey
• Hon. Akemi D. Arakaki, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Hon.  Craig E. Arthur, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange
• Hon. Bunmi O. Awoniyi, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento
• Hon. D. Brett Bianco, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Hon. Brooke A. Blecher, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
• Hon. Roger C. Chan, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
• Ms. Risé A. Donlon, Assistant County Counsel, Office of the Kings County Counsel
• Hon. Ana L. España, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego
• Hon. Katherine Fogarty, Commissioner for the Superior Court of California, Court of Fresno
• Hon. Susan M. Gill, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Kern
• Hon. Jennifer L. Giuliani, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Kings
• Ms. Julia Hanagan, Policy Director, Dependency Legal Services
• Ms. Leslie Heimov, Executive Director, Children’s Law Center of California
• Mx. Cory Hernandez, Senior Managing Attorney, Family Violence Appellate Project
• Ms. Diane Iglesias, Senior Deputy Director, Los Angeles Department of Children & Family Services
• Hon. Esther P. Kim, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Ms. Rose Klein, Client Advocacy Manager, Asian Americans for Community Involvement
• Ms. Selis Koker, Deputy Director and Chief Counsel, California Department of Child Support Services
• Mr. Joseph J. Koller, Deputy District Attorney IV, Orange County District Attorney’s Office
• Hon. Mary Kreber Varipapa, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange
• Mr. Jonathan Laba, Assistant Public Defender, Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office
• Ms. Sharon M. Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer, California CASA Association
• Hon. Frank J. Menetrez, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two
• Mr. Joe Navarro, Manager, Family and Children Services Division, Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino
• Hon. Kelly L. Neel, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt
• Ms. Sherry Peterson, Certified Family Law Specialist, Law Office of Sherry Peterson
• Ms. Melissa J. Poulos, Family Law Facilitator/Self-Help Program Manager, Director of Family Court Services/Court Manager, Superior Court of California, County of Sutter
• Mr. Brian J. Richart, Chief Probation Officer, El Dorado County Probation
• Hon. Lawrence P. Riff, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Hon. B. Scott Thomsen, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Nevada
• Ms. Susan Thrall, Senior Administrator, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
• Hon. Rubén A. Villalobos, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus
• Hon. Monica F. Wiley, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco

CJER Governing Committee Liaison

• Hon. Julie A. Palafox, Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange

TCPJAC Liaison

• Hon. Cheri Pham, Assistant Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange

Governmental Affairs Liaison

• Ms. Tracy Kenny, Supervising Attorney, Office of Governmental Affairs, Judicial Council of California

Judicial Council Staff to the Committee

• Ms. Sarah Jacobvitz (F), Lead Staff, Attorney, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, Judicial Council of California
• Ms. Stephanie Lacambra (J), Lead Staff, Attorney, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, Judicial Council of California
• Ms. Amanda Morris, Administrative Coordinator, Center for Families, Children & the Courts, Judicial Council of California

Standing Subcommittees​ 

• Protective Order Working Group
• Violence Against Women Education Project Subcommittee

Key projects of this advisory body are outlined in the annual agenda.

Background
The Judicial Council of California’s Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the council for improving the administration of justice in all cases involving marriage, family, or children. The committee is staffed by the Center for Families, Children & the Courts.

Mission
The mission of the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee is to:

• Identify issues and concerns confronting judicial administration regarding family and juvenile law, procedure, and practice; and
• Address issues related to domestic violence, self-represented litigants, juvenile delinquency and dependency, adoption, and general family law.

On an ongoing basis, the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee:

• Reviews pending legislation regarding family and juvenile matters;
• Reviews suggestions from the public for improving the administration of family and juvenile cases and recommends appropriate action to the council or one of its committees; and
• Proposes to the council changes in rules, forms, and standards for family and juvenile cases.