FAQ

• Log on to www.caljudges.org using the generic username and password, which you can get by requesting them from Jordan at jposamentier@caljudges.org.
• Once you enter the generic username and password, you will be prompted to fill out your member profile, which will grant you access to the entire site.

• Go to www.caljudges.org
• Log in. If you have not created a username and password, then you must enter the generic username and password, which you can get by requesting them from Jordan at jposamentier@caljudges.org.
• Click on "members" menu located in the upper left.
• Click on the "committees" menu located below the "members" menu.
• Click on your committee name (ex. Court Administration) located on the right hand column menu
• You can view your committee roster, agenda, minutes, and other relevant committee information on that page.

• Go to www.caladvocates.com
• Click on client only services
• Enter the confidential username and password, which you can get by requesting them from Jordan at jposamentier@caljudges.org.  

• Then either click "active legislation report" underneath the appropriate committee name, then click on the particular bill name; or scroll down and click on "search for a particular bill," then enter the particular bill name (e.g., AB 1114) in the text box.

• Go to www.caladvocates.com
• Click on "client only services"
• Enter the confidential username and password, which you can get by requesting them from Jordan at jposamentier@caljudges.org.   
• Click "active legislation report" and a list of all the bill that CJA is tracking will pop up.
• Each bill in that list includes a "position" as an information item. The most recent CJA position for that bill will be listed under that information item.

• Position letters are kept on file at the CJA headquarters.  If you would like a copy of a position letter, please contact Jordan at jposamentier@caljudges.org, and he will send a copy of the letter to you.

• Go to www.legislature.ca.gov. Click "Assembly" to be taken to the Assembly webpage wherein you will find assembly member and committee information; click on "Senate" to be taken to the Senate webpage to find similar information.

• Contact Jordan at the CJA Headquarters, and he will add you to the roster. Membership occurs on a rolling, ongoing basis, but . . .
• Please note, it is strongly encouraged that you join a policy committee in time for the Annual Meeting, where you would meet other committee members face-to-face, begin your tenure before the new legislative session begins, and attend the orientation on CJA's legislative process.

• Find your district on the map located here:
• The district lists your CJA Board representative. Please click here for your Senator's contact information and here for your Assemblymember's contact information. 

• The president will appoint nominating committees in districts where vacancies occur. Those committees will nominate members to fill the vacancy.Nominating committees report their nominations to the President, who then shares those nominations with the appropriate district's members.

• The Executive Committee is a smaller group of the Board comprised of the officers (President, Vice President's, and Secretary-Treasurer), the appellate representative, plus 2 additional board members of the President's choosing.The President serves as chair of the committee.Per CJA's bylaws: "Unless the Executive Board shall otherwise provide, the Executive Committee shall represent it ad interim; the acts of the Executive Committee shall be the acts of the Executive Board."

• Please see here: http://www.caljudges.org/members/conferences_events.vp.html

• The Judicial Elections Handbook is a great resource and available for purchase by members only.  Also, the Ethics Committee's Ethics in Judicial Elections is another good resource.  Both publications are available for purchase here: http://www.caljudges.org/doc_list.php. Should you have a specific ethics question, an Ethics Hotline member knowledgeable in elections is ready to assist you in answering any questions.  Call the CJA office at (415) 263-4600 for referral to the ethics hotline.

• 6 years for superior court judges, 12 years for appellate level justices.

• Please visit the American Judicature Society's overview found here:

• California has Determinate Sentencing laws. When someone is convicted of a California felony and sentenced to prison, the judge must impose one of three prison terms: "low-term", "mid-term," or "high-term". These terms are "fixed" or "determined." Other states use Indeterminate Sentencing laws where, for example, indeterminate terms of "two-to-five" or "ten-to twenty" are used. California switched from indeterminate to determinate sentencing in 1977.
• Many factors are involved determining which sentence to impose: The severity of the offense, the criminal history of the defendant, mitigating (less serious) or aggravating (more serious) factors, the judge's discretion.

• Please visit the Administrative Office of the Courts Fact Sheet found here:

• CJA and the Judicial Council often work closely together to provide legislative solutions to matters of concern to the bench. Many CJA policy committee members also serve on committees under the Judicial Council. CJA, as a private non-profit, tends to focus on issues affecting the individual judge or court, while the Judicial Council, as a branch of the Judiciary, tends to focus on issues affecting the Judiciary as a whole.  In some sense, the Judicial Council is concerned with the forest; CJA, the trees.  The complementary missions of these organizations have led to an effective and enduring relationship in meeting the needs of the judiciary and judicial officer alike.

• Contact the Brad Campbell, the Supervising Court Services Analyst of the AOC's assigned judges program division: (415) 865-7638);  Brad.Campbell@jud.ca.gov. See the AOC's fact sheet for more details:  http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/reference/documents/factsheets/Assigned_Judges_Program.pdf

• Call the Judges' Retirement System (JRS) in Sacramento at:  (916) 795-3688. You can also visit the CalPers Webpage dealing with JRS and JRS-II benefits here: http://www.calpers.ca.gov/index.jsp?bc=/about/benefits-overview/retirement/jrs-benefits.xml

• "The Commission [on Judicial Performance] is responsible for enforcing the restrictions on judges' receipt of gifts and honoraria, as set forth in Code of Civil Procedure section 170.9. The gift limitation amount in that statute is adjusted biennially by the Commission to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. On January 31, 2007, the Commission adopted the adjusted gift limitation amount of $350, for the purposes of CCP section 170.9. The gift limitation amount will be adjusted again in 2009 when the annual Consumer Price Index becomes available." (Commission on Judicial Performance, http://cjp.ca.gov/index.php?id=15, last visited Dec. 30, 2008.)
• "Note: Judges are not subject to the [Fair Politcal Practices] Act's gift prohibitions, but are covered by the Code of Civil Procedure. (Gov. Code Section 89503.)" (Fair Political Practices Commission, http://www.fppc.ca.gov/index.html?id=31, last visited Dec. 30, 2008.)

• Section 400, Cal. Fam. Code, controls. CJA has samples of marriage ceremonies as well as a memo on renewing vows. Please call CJA headquarters for this information: (415) 263-4000.

• Please see here: http://www.caljudges.org/members/fppc.vp.html
• CJA will provide information prior to the filing deadline regarding reimbursements that need to be included if you served on the board or a committee.

• Please see here: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/codeethics.htm

• Formal ethics opinions are listed on CJA's Website: http://www.caljudges.org/members/ethics_opinions.vp.html
• You may also call to request a copy of an opinion.

• Contact the Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP) at (415) 557-1200.  CJP is an independent state agency that handles complaints about California's judicial officers for judicial misconduct or wrongdoing. The complaint process is not intended to address complaints related to the merits of a case or a court's decision.  Mailing address for the CJP is:  455 Golden Gate Ave., Suite 14400, San Francisco, CA 94102-3660.  Visit CJP's Website for more information:  www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courtadmin/otheragencies.htm

• A presiding judge's authority and duties are articulated in Rule 10.603 of California Rules of Court. Please see here: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/rules/documents/pdfFiles/title_10.pdf

• Section 259, Cal. Code Civ. Pro., articulates the powers of a California court commissioners. Please see here: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=68184227380+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

• Yes, traffic court judges and commissioners are just as "real" as other California judges.  

• The California State Bar publishes a pamphlet on what to expect when serving on a jury. It is available at http://www.calbar.ca.gov/calbar/pdfs/publications/Serving-on-a-Jury.pdf; however, it might be out of date.

• The Administrative Office of the Courts also provide information on jury service here: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/jury/

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