2018 State of the Court

STATE OF THE COURT REPORT | 2018 EDITION

GROWING WISELY

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDING JUDGE AND COURT EXECUTIVE OFFICER

The County of San Bernardino is defined by its people and geography. Its vast desert, mountain terrains and inland valley have shaped the lives of those who reside and work here. The desert has provided the military with open spaces to train and store supplies at Ft. Irwin (north of Barstow), the Marine Corps Logistics Base outside of Barstow and the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms. Mining and tourism are booming in the desert. The mountains remain popular with residents throughout Southern California as a place to hike, mountain bike, snow ski and snowboard, fish and escape the summer heat. The inland valley has transformed from being known for dairy farming and orange groves, to a primary logistics center with quick access to freeways, railroads and the air. Housing still remains comparatively affordable compared to our neighbors, resulting in San Bernardino County’s continued population growth. Providing consistent, impartial and accessible administration of justice is a primary mission of the San Bernardino County Superior Court (SBCSC). It is not a simple feat in a county as large as San Bernardino. With each budget cycle, SBCSC looks at not only what can it do now, but what must it do in the future. Though SBCSC is funded at only 83 percent of the amount required for staff to do the work of all cases heard, the funding improved significantly with the passage of Governor Edmund G. Brown’s budget for fiscal year 2018-19. With the funding increases over the past year, SBCSC has made significant improvements in service to the public with much needed efficiencies:  SBCSC now offers remote appearances for the residents of the Needles and Big Bear Valley areas for traffic, non-traffic and misdemeanor modifications  Two new additional criminal courtrooms were added―one (1) to the Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse and one (1) to the San Bernardino Justice Center

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