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California Judicial Branch

Decent Essays

The judicial branch, while complex and arduous in nature, is an essential component to sustaining balance amongst the executive and legislative branches of government. Across the United States, each and every state maintains its judicial branch much the same; there is always a Supreme Court, an Appeals Court, and a Trial Court. Our founding fathers worked tirelessly composing the Constitution, and the Amendments that proceeded, to protect the rights of each and every citizen of this nation and the Courts, in every state, are responsible for upholding the laws. It is through this foundation that we bear witness to not only the protection rights of its citizens, but the checks and balance against tyranny. California’s judicial branch, in many …show more content…

“In 1926 California joined a nationwide court reform movement that encouraged the establishment of judicial councils to bring coherence to court operations and procedures and improve the quality of justice.” (Profile/Judicial Council of California/Administrative Office of the Courts, n.d.) In 1960, a constitutional amendment created the Administrative Director of the Courts and within a year the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) was born (Profile/Judicial Council of California/Administrative Office of the Courts, n.d.) The purpose of the AOC was aimed at providing (1) “professional services to the courts and council (2) establish an “array of programs to improve justice administration” and (3) “enhance court technology, judicial branch education and human resources support”. Today, those ideals are very much ingrained within the California’s Judicial Council. California’s Judicial Council “…provides leadership and sets the direction for improving the quality of justice and advancing the consistent, independent, impartial, and accessible administration of justice for the benefit of the public.” (Judicial Council Governance Policies, 2008) This includes (1) facilitating as the governing body for the judicial branch (2) ensuring that justice is administered properly, efficiently and effectively (3) “provides the leadership for preserving and enhancing and independent and impartial justice system”(4) accountability to the executive branch-in all aspects of governing, quality, use of public resources and statutory/constitutional mandates and lastly (5) surveys judicial trends and adopts rules that promote high quality practice in accordance with the California judicial system. (Judicial Council Governance Policies,

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