The Gavel Summer 2018

THE GAVEL SUMMER 2018

Gavel Contributors Julie Van Hook Primary Author of Report

Bob Fleshman Editor

Native American students visit the San Manuel Tribal Court for Law Day 2018

Mary Davis Editor Emeritus

Communication Contributors Nancy Alicea Erika Barajas Evelyn Cabrera Carrie Cosme Jennifer De La Cruz Enrique Estacion Kathleen Hammock Atishma Kant

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Caregivers Accessing Justice Program

Gabriela Martin Angela Martinez Kelly McNamara Daniel Melendrez Kaliska Monticue Rachel Pena Brittney Putman Valerie Silvas Jeremy Starkey Sharon Sundy Stephanie Villegas

Annual Awards Ceremony for the Consumer Attorneys of California, Inland Empire Chapter

Victorville Courthouse

IN THIS REPORT

Welcome Message

Assigned Judges Program

Building Relationships

Port View Preparatory School students tour SBJC

Accessing Court Services

Enhancing Court Services

Recognizing Employees and Court Leaders

Celebrating Judicial Excellence

Education and Development

Executive Office Town Hall

Grand Re-opening Ceremony for the Big Bear Courthouse

5th grade students participate in separation of powers game for Law Day 2018

The Gavel Summer 2018

A BIG THANK YOU

& WELCOME

Welcome to the Summer 2018 edition of the Gavel!

Thank you for your patience as we’ve switched publishing platforms and assumed responsibility for the court’s longstanding publication. With this edition, you should notice some changes in content and design. Although the look and feel may be different, you’ll still find a wealth of information on court activities, community outreach, and employee spotlights. New additions include the Executive Town Hall, a question and answer section directly from the employees themselves to the Executive Team, as well as stories on current events facing state courts, in-depth articles on local services, and other cool features. Our goal is to get relevant news, stories, information and updates to court judicial officers and staff in the most efficient, effective and preferred ways possible. Earlier this year, we surveyed communication preferences to help us determine what kind of information you wanted, how frequently you wanted to have it delivered, and by what method. An overwhelming majority preferred receiving information weekly (or more frequently) and favored digital communication as the preferred medium. As a result, we’ve launched several new communications tools to bring you information more often and in the manner in which you want to see it. This includes the latest Intranet feature, Around the Court, a new “photo album” page displaying court events and milestones (and you!). In addition to this new platform, we’ve continued to deliver relevant and timely information using our communication newsletter launched earlier this year, the Weekly Brief, as well as video features to bring you the latest news from the Court Executive Office and Odyssey Project Management Office. Lastly, none of this would be possible without a strong team of collaborators throughout the court. We want to extend our sincerest gratitude to the content contributors in every district and department that provide the information which sustains each of our communication platforms. None of these could be published without your hard work and support.

Thank You! !

- Gavel Publishing Team

1

Trial Court

Assigned Judges

Program

Subject to case-by-case exceptions, the current 33,000 annual service days provided under this program that temporarily assigns retired judges to cover vacancies will be cut by 50 percent

By: Presiding Judge John P. Vander Feer

On May 21, a memorandum was sent to all presiding judges in California outlining changes to be made to the statewide Assigned Judges Program (AJP) following a program review. I would like to share with each of you what those changes are and how it will impact our court. Under the authority of Article VI, Section 6 of the California Constitution, the AJP is used to expedite judicial business and to equalize the workload by temporarily assigning retired judges to cover judicial vacancies due to retirement, illness, and for caseload management. The AJP allows a retired judge to preside over a courtroom and hear cases just like any other judge. Usually a judge planning on retirement applies to be an assigned judge with the Chief Justice of California. If accepted, the judge is given an assignment number, which allows her or him to serve as an assigned judge, even in a different county. In our court, we have assigned judges who work full time, temporarily to cover education, medical or vacation leave, and those that job-share to keep courtrooms open full-time. The May 21 memorandum states that effective July 1, 2018, and subject to case-by-case exceptions, the current 33,000 annual service days provided under the program will be cut by 50 percent. Retired judges enrolled in the AJP will now be limited to a maximum of 120 assignments annually, and a maximum of 1,320 cumulative days, equivalent to a six-year term. Additionally, a retired judge must also wait 90 days before he or she can sit on assignment, and each court’s allocated service days will also be adjusted. It is important to keep in mind that in reference to each of these major changes some limited exceptions may apply. As an underjudged court, it is our hope and expectation that we will receive some limited exceptions. I will be working closely with the AJP to insure that we do not have to close any courtrooms due to a lack of judicial officers.

2

The Gavel Summer 2018

Building

Relationships

Improved public understanding and perception of the court system is a vital component of an effective legal system.

Community Outreach

Judge Lisa M. Rogan with students from Shadow Ridge High School

Community outreach is critical to the Court and its mission to properly administer and provide equal access to justice.

Historically, courts and notably judges, sought to remain distant from the community in order to maintain public perception of impartiality and adhere to ethical requirements. In the last twenty years, however, courts nationwide shifted demonstrably to focus resources and institutional planning on community outreach and public relations. Outreach efforts facilitate educational opportunities for learning about the legal system, help foster community relationships, and provide citizens with a voice about their court experiences.

“Civics education is

key, so that people

understand what we

are doing and aren’t

afraid to come to

court.”

The Court prides itself on our commitment to public service and our community.

Judge John Pacheco, Community Outreach Committee Chair

“In order to build a

stronger

community, it is

important for our

communities to

know who we are

and what we do.”

Judge Winston Keh, Community Outreach Committee Vice-Chair

Judge Winston Keh with Cub Scouts from Temescal District, Pack 421

3

“Community outreach

by our judicial officers

and court staff

educates the public

about the court

system, increases

access to justice for

all, and encourages

young people to

pursue careers in the

legal profession.”

Judge Tony Raphael, Community Outreach Committee Member

Over the course of the last six months, judges have spoken to schools about the role of the court, attended career fairs, lectured, and opened their courtrooms to students. In addition, the Community Outreach Committee spearheaded efforts to implement seven new initiatives for this year’s Law Day celebration welcoming over 1,000 students countywide to our activities this year with the help of our justice partners, judicial officers and over one-hundred employees.

Denis Desmarais, Training Analyst and Chris Roman, Management Analyst III, participate in Law Day 2018, 5th Grade Separation of Powers Game

Through significant volunteer efforts on the part of our judicial officers, staff members, and justice partners, the court strives to engage constituents both in and out of the courtroom. The Community Outreach Committee— comprised of twelve Judges, two deputy court executive officers, and three staff members— coordinates various outreach efforts to promote civic education and engagement.

4

The Gavel Summer 2018

Needles by the Numbers July 2017 – June 2018

Accessing

326 customers served 112 RVP hearings set on calendar 71 case inquiries 63

Court Services

Serving the largest county in the contiguous United States comes with its fair share of challenges and significant obstacles for access to justice.

payments accepted at the counter, totaling $8,776

29

self-help customers assisted

There has been a 40% increase in the number of hearings set on calendar when comparing July to September 2017 and April to June 2018. Non-cash payments have also dramatically risen. From March 209% when comparing those received between July through October, 2017. to June 2018, payments increased by

40% INCREASE IN RVPs

Needles Reopening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Reopening the Needles and

Big Bear Courthouses

As part of an ongoing effort to restore services that were once eliminated due to budget cuts, the Needles Courthouse reopened once per month and began offering both counter services and remote video proceedings (RVP) for infraction arraignments in July 2017.

3x

PAYMENTS RECEIVED

Remote Video Proceedings in Needles

5

Big Bear District Courthouse

During January to March, at the peak of the snow

season, hearings were set on calendar 120% more than during April to June when weather is milder. Concluding that residents were taking full advantage of the court’s newest location when road conditions are at its most treacherous. While courtroom calendars were the busiest during the winter months, customers in Big Bear are also accessing other court services in higher proportions. From April to 113% increase in customers when compared to the first three months of operations, from January to March. Court visitors are also increasing, with June being Big Bear’s busiest month since it reopened, with 30 customers entering the courthouse to access a variety of services just two days a month. June, self-help has seen a

Six months after the reopening of the Needles Courthouse, the Big Bear Courthouse reopened in January 2018 offering limited services twice per month, and as a result saving residents of the Big Bear Valley a 60 mile commute down the hill. This convenience has proved to be particularly helpful to customers during the winter months when commute times can triple during times of inclement weather.

Big Bear by the Numbers January 2018 – June 2018

125 customers served 32

RVP hearings set on calendar

24 19 25

case inquiries

payments accepted at the counter, totaling $1,081

self-help customers assisted

Customer Service Rating from public comment cards

6

The Gavel Summer 2018

Enhancing

Court Services

Improved public understanding and perception of the court system is a vital component of an effective legal system.

Caregivers Accessing Justice

Program

Court Website Redesign

On March 12, the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino launched the Caregivers Accessing Justice (CAJ) Program as part of grant funding issued by the California State Bar Association. CAJ offers legal assistance to self-represented litigants, in English and Spanish, for guardianship and conservatorship cases. Every Monday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Legal Aid attorneys and paralegals provide clinic–type services located on the 10th floor Mediation Room, at the San Bernardino Justice Center.

As the court strives to better serve the public and legal community, our current public website requires significant redesign to take advantage of the new design elements and growing demand for online resources and services.

“We are excited to

announce the

improved structure

with a host of

impactful changes, to

make your experience

much better.”

Debanie Comeaux, District Manger II, Website Committee Co-Chair

The new public website, slated to launch this Fall, will be visually appealing, with a constant layout throughout the site, and have sound, scalable information for easy navigation and adaptability. The new public website will also provide the public with alternative means of communicating with the court, meet ADA requirements, and be easily updated.

Supervising Judge Tara Reilly

“This relatively new

“Our new website will

program truly

give our visitors a

improves access to

modern look and

justice.”

improved ease of use.”

Judge Tara Reilly, Supervising Probate Judge

Daniel Melendrez, Information Technology Manager, Website Committee Co-Chair

7

Considering CE, JE, and Portal are apps, they are not interrelated. These apps work independently of one another, and serve a unique purpose. CE is used in the courtroom to create minute orders, and this information is sent to Odyssey and saved onto the case record. CE is also used independently from Odyssey where limited case information, as it relates to the courtroom calendars, can be viewed. JE is used by the judicial officers to view their courtroom calendars. JE works with Odyssey, but like CE, it is also used independently from Odyssey. In JE, more case information can be seen than what’s available in CE, such as case history and case documents. Judicial officers can also add notes in JE, and it doesn’t update the case record in Odyssey. Portal is the website used by the public and our justice partners such as the District Attorney and Public Defender to view case information from Odyssey.

Odyssey, Portal, CE, & JE

What’s the difference?

Odyssey is the main product that stores all case information. Cases are created and maintained in Odyssey and it works in conjunction with other software applications (apps) such as, Clerk Edition (CE), Judge Edition (JE) and Portal.

Video conferencing connects the

court with its users

As a program recipient of the Court’s Innovation Grant Program, video conferencing for child custody recommending counseling launched in January 2018. Since then, 76 child recommending counseling sessions have been conducted by videoconference using Blue Jeans, a free smart phone software application.

Court users in remote locations have limited access to public transportation, and often times this limitation results in continuances because they are unable to be present for their appointment. Allowing court users to appear by video is mutually beneficial, in that it allows court users to fully engage and participate in the mediation process, as they are able to see the other parent and the child custody recommending counselor. Video conferencing also enhances the quality of interaction and communication between the counselor and litigant as opposed to communicating by phone only.

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The Gavel Summer 2018

Marking One Year

with San Bernardino Courts

Recognizing

Deputy Court Executive Officers Cherie Garfalo and Anabel Romero celebrated their one-year anniversary with San Bernardino Superior Court on June 10, 2018. Since coming to San Bernardino, Cherie has primarily focused on her team, by meeting individually with nearly 500 employees and regularly meeting with her supervisors and managers. This process

Court Leaders

and Employees

It’s impossible to summarize the Court’s achievements without recognizing many of the individuals who play a vital role.

Meet Viviana

Deputy Court Executive Officer Cheri Garfalo

has helped her learn about each person and understand where our court has been, as a way to move us forward .

Cherie’s goal is to better serve the community by fostering teamwork amongst our staff, and to build strong leaders by challenging them and providing opportunities to increase their knowledge and expertise . Cherie has spent over 30 years in the justice system working to serve the public. She began her career as an extra-help employee with the Orange County Superior Court. From the beginning, she has worked extensively in all levels of court operations, with stints in budget, facilities, technology, and human resources. Additionally, Cherie has worked to improve the justice system at the state level, having served as a member of the Judicial Council Criminal Advisory Committee, CJER education committees, and regularly teaching on behalf of CJER and the Institute for Court Management.

Employee

Spotlight

Viviana Garcia started as a volunteer in Victorville in 2015 and was hired as an LPA Trainee in January 2016, fully promoting through the LPA series to an LPA II on January 20, 2018 at the Barstow District. Viviana assists the public with answers to traffic related questions, and sets court trials and arraignments. In her spare time, Viviana enjoys traveling to Rosarito, Mexico, watching movies, listening to music, and hanging out with her family.

9

Celebrating

Judicial

Excellence

Acknowledging the efforts of outstanding judicial leadership

Judge Wilfred J. Schneider, Jr. was the recipient of the Judge of the Year award from the Consumer Attorneys of California, Inland Empire Chapter. Presented at the Annual Awards ceremony since 1972, the Judge of the Year award is presented to judicial officers who have made a significant contribution to protect the civil justice system.

Over the course of the last year, Anabel has enjoyed meeting the amazing team of people that comprise the San Bernardino court family. Anabel has personally connected with nearly her entire staff around various districts, learning how things are working, and listening for opportunities to support and positively contribute over the last twelve months. She has been inspired by the dedication, commitment, and ability that she has seen in every individual.

Deputy Court Executive Officer Anabel Romero

Connecting with staff at all levels is a significant part of Anabel’s job that reenergizes and motivates her to work hard and serve those that she’s responsible for leading. Anabel encourages others by consistently conveying a sense of shared purpose, possibilities, and opportunities to improve how we do business. Her routine meetings and impromptu moments of connection with her staff has been focused on leadership training, development, and providing a platform in which they can cultivate their own ideas, be assured that their voices are being heard, and positively contribute to the court. As Anabel looks to the coming year, she plans to continue her focus on building strong relationships founded on effective communication, collaboration, listening, understanding, and creating an environment in which every staff member has the tools they need to do their job well, feel supported, and appreciated. She recognizes that this coming year will be full of historical changes as we implement a new case management system, and that this will not be an easy undertaking. However, she’s confident in the expertise and talents of every team member to be champions and leaders of change!

“I was surprised and

very humbled by the

award. But, any one of

our bench officers

could have received

the award.”

Judge Wilfred J. Schneider, Jr.

10

The Gavel Summer 2018

CCTI offers a formal classroom training for courtroom and legal processing clerks serving throughout the state. During the class, participants engage in lecture, discuss written materials, and take part in problem-solving activities to facilitate learning about the life of a case. Participants are encouraged to cross-train and exchange information about local court practices.

Education and

Development

Education and training help staff acquire knowledge and develop their skills and abilities to assist in meeting organizational goals and objectives.

“It was fascinating to

connect with other

clerks in different

2018 Court Clerk Training

counties. We learned a

Institute

lot about other court’s

procedures.”

Court clerk training programs provide valuable experience and education to newly hired court staff. In May and June, our court hosted two statewide CCTI events covering Family Law and Criminal Procedures at the Vineyard Training Center.

Victoria Holmes Legal Processing Assistant I San Bernardino Justice Center

Judicial Training Academy

Program

The Judicial Training Academy Program (JATAP) is undergoing a revamp and on target for a Fall 2018 training schedule. The newly recruited JATAP facilitators are in the midst of reviewing each of the seven JATAP modules to update the content and modernize the program format.

Court employees enjoyed CCTI training

“My experience was

amazing, very

informative, and the

interaction was great.”

Rachel Cruz-Jimenez Legal Processing Assistant I Rancho Cucamonga District

JATAP SMEs undergoing a curriculum revamp

11

Executive Office T OWN HALL A questions and answers section directly from the employees themselves to the Executive Team

The court’s Employee Benefit Advisory Committee (EBAC) includes employees from each unit, Support Services, Official Court Reporters, Exempt, Professional and Supervisory. Committee members serve a vital role in the selection of future benefit plan options available to staff. The committee gathers feedback directly from the employees, reviews current and future benefit plan options, and puts forth a benefit plan recommendation to the Executive Team, and then the Judges Executive Committee for final approval. Stay tuned for more information regarding the current and new committee members from EBAC!

Are we getting more funding from the Governor this year?

Yes. The 2018-19 fiscal year, which started on July 1, will yield more funding for all trial courts, including under-resourced courts like San Bernardino. Our court still hasn’t recovered in funding or staffing levels since the devastating cuts during the Great Recession, but this funding will help us get there. Consistent with our strategic plan and plan for reinvestment (found here). We will work with the court’s Budget and Executive Committees to develop a budget that invests responsibly in our court and community, reinforces our commitment to success (such as in technology projects), and nurtures important local and statewide relationships. There’s also dedicated funding to help us increase self-help services, court-appointed dependency counsel, and language access. Our court has many unmet needs, however, and funding will only go so far. Executive and Judicial Leadership will be working closely to bring a responsible budget up for consideration in August. Look for future updates in other court communication channels regarding this year’s budget and what it will mean for the Superior Court of San Bernardino County.

How can employees provide input on future benefit package options?

Got a Question?

Email courts-pio@sb-court.org to submit your question to the Executive Team.

ODYSSEY: 2018 JOURNEY TO THE FUTURE CONTEST We invite all employees and judicial officers to participate and showcase their creative abilities and interpretation of the campaign slogan, Journey to the Future. For more information, click here

“Moving Forward” Image courtesy of Chris Roman