At its March 24 business meeting, the Judicial Council received a
report on the MyCitations program. This program, launched in 2019
as a pilot project in a few select courts, is an online tool that
allows people with infraction violations to request a reduction
in what they owe. The MyCitations tool is now in 21 superior
courts around the state. The Judicial Council anticipates adding
the remaining 37 courts and achieving statewide implementation by
June 30, 2024.
The report states that as of Jan. 1, 2023:
More than 45,000 litigants submitted over 66,000
ability-to-pay requests, accounting for more than $41 million in
outstanding fines and fees.
Courts granted more than $20 million in fine and fee
reductions.
In a study of more than 12,000 cases, successful repayment
topped 60% when fines and fees were reduced below $300.
Nearly 46% of litigants who used the tool reported they
receive public benefits and just over 88% reported incomes at or
below the poverty line.
The report also
contains results from the MyCitations program’s pilot period,
which ran from April 2019 through July 2021. That evaluation
found litigants are more likely to repay in full as the amount
ordered decreases—cases granted a reduction had a 61% success
rate for full repayment, while cases denied relief had only a 29%
success rate.
Other items on the March 24 council meeting agenda included:
Funding to Help Public Listen to Courtroom
Proceedings: The council approved allocating
funding to support Assembly Bill 716, which requires
an audio
stream or telephonic means for listening to courtroom
proceedings when the courthouse is physically closed to
public. Per the funding proposal, 28 courts will receive funding
to make audio upgrades to courthouses built before the year 2000,
which accounts for approximately 1,775, or 85%, of courtrooms in
the state.
Terms of Commitment to Secure Youth Treatment
Facilities: The council approved a rule of court to
implement Welfare and Institutions Code section 875(h), which
required the council to create a matrix
of terms of commitment meeting the developmental and
treatment needs of youth. Judicial officers can choose from this
matrix when ordering youth to a Secure Youth Treatment Facility.
Input on the matrix was gathered from a diverse working group
that included attorneys, probation, behavioral health, and youth
advocates and service providers.
The complete meeting agenda and council reports are
posted to the California Courts
Meeting Information Center. The center also contains an
archived webcast of the entire meeting broken out by topic.
