Written Comments and General Correspondence
Written comments to the Judicial Council are always welcome. The following will be accepted and made available to the council:
- Written comments on specific agenda items for any Judicial Council meeting;
- Written comments on circulating orders currently under consideration by the council; and
- General correspondence addressed to the council on matters affecting judicial administration.
Written comments and general correspondence must be emailed to judicialcouncil@jud.ca.gov. Written comments received after the deadline will not be delivered to Judicial Council members. General correspondence received between council meetings will be made available to council members in conjunction with the subsequent business meeting materials.
Written comments and correspondence will not be accepted or made available to the Judicial Council on matters relating to a particular case or judicial officer performance. The Judicial Council is not authorized to intervene on behalf of a party in a case, nor may it offer legal advice to a member of the public as to how to proceed with, or in, a lawsuit or prosecution. Rather, concerns as to substantive rulings in a case may be addressed through the appropriate procedural mechanisms, such as motions for reconsideration, writs, and appeals.
Requests to Speak
At the discretion of the Executive and Planning Committee, Judicial Council meetings allot time on the agenda for the public to speak. Individuals may, in advance of a council meeting, request to speak or may submit a request on the day of any in-person or remote meeting, in accordance with established deadlines. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate all individuals who have signed up to speak.
Make a request in advance
Individuals who submit a written request to speak either in person or remotely will receive a confirmation of receipt and instructions on how to present their comments. Submit advance requests to speak by the established deadline at judicialcouncil@jud.ca.gov and include the speaker’s first and last name as well as the topic to be addressed or specific agenda item number. In emergency meetings or urgent circumstances, the Executive and Planning Committee may, at its discretion, accept written comments only.
Make a request on the day of the meeting
Members of the public may request to provide public comment on the day of the meeting, either in person or remotely by emailing judicialcouncil@jud.ca.gov up to the day of the meeting to receive instructions on how to present their comments. Requests to speak will be accepted until the deadline stated on the meeting agenda.
Please be advised
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Public comments will be heard as designated by the agenda. Items are generally addressed in the order listed on the agenda; however, in rare circumstances, items may be called out of order. Please note that agenda items may proceed more quickly than the published time frames.
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The Judicial Council will make every effort to accommodate all individuals who have signed up to speak. Speaking time will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis for a total of 30 minutes on the council agenda. If the council receives more requests to speak than can be accommodated, written comments will be accepted and made available to the council.
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Individual speakers will be invited to speak for up to three minutes, depending on the number of requests received. The Executive and Planning Committee chair, or designee, will announce the exact time allotted to each speaker at the beginning of each public comment session.
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Three or more individuals may combine their allotted time for one speaker. The Executive and Planning Committee chair, or designee, will determine the total speaking time for that speaker, which may be less than the total time the individuals would have if speaking separately
Photography and Recording
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Judicial Council meetings are publicly livestreamed; video recordings and captured captioning are made available online during and after the meeting.
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Any individual or organization wishing to record, photograph, or broadcast a council meeting must submit a request to the Chief Justice under California Rules of Court, rule 10.6(f).
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Requests to record, photograph,or broadcast a council meeting must be submitted to judicialcouncil@jud.ca.gov at least two business days before the scheduled meeting. If the request is approved, the requester will be notified before the meeting.
Conduct at Meetings
Members of the public who attend open session meetings, in person or remotely, must maintain proper decorum and remain orderly. The Chief Justice may order the removal of any disorderly persons per rule 10.6(c) of the California Rules of Court.
Public Record
Please note that comments received will, in full, become part of the public record. Case-specific comments and materials may not be included as part of the record.
Service and Support Animals
The Judicial Council of California ensures that individuals who use service or support animals have equal access to the council’s services, programs, and activities in accordance with all state and federal laws. While an individual using a service animal is not required to notify the Judicial Council in advance, an advance prior approval is required when a member of the public wishes to use a support animal while accessing Judicial Council services, programs, or activities. For more details, read the Service and Support Animals for Members of the Public at the Judicial Council of California policy.
Individuals who wish to provide advance notice for using a service animal, request prior authorization for a support animal, or ask questions may contact the Judicial Council access coordinator by email at JCCAccessCoordinator@jud.ca.gov.