2019 State of the Court

2019 ANNUAL REPORT

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO

CORONAVIRUS

IMPACTS TO THE COURT AND COMMUNITY

In 2020, the nation was drastically impacted by the Novel 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Courts, among other government and essential services, were greatly impacted by having to balance the constitutional rights of the community we serve with the impacts and safety concerns caused by this health emergency. As the COVID-19 pandemic began to unravel, San Bernardino Superior Court (SBSC) took numerous actions to protect all court users in the days prior to temporarily closing on March 17, 2020. In the beginning, SBSC promoted online services so attorneys and the public could avoid coming in-person. As new directives were quickly announced by California Governor Gavin Newsom, San Bernardino County Public Health Officials, and the Judicial Council of California (JCC), services were quickly reduced in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The changes included the suspension of civil jury trials and protocols for visitors, and within a week the court was only hearing emergency matters at five remaining court locations for over two months between mid-March to the end of May.

Despite these significant and unprecedented challenges, SBSC rose to meet the challenges and quickly formed positive collaborations with local justice partners. In partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender, and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, SBSC established a comprehensive video project in Victorville, Joshua Tree, and San Bernardino Courthouses to promote social distancing while maintaining the constitutional rights of those accused and in-custody. While utilizing remote video capabilities, SBSC was able to reduce transports to the courthouses and ensure the safety of those in-custody, judicial officers, staff as well as staff from both the District Attorney and Office of the Public Defender. Similarly, video capabilities were established for juvenile delinquency addressing minors in-custody at the juvenile detention centers. For probate matters, and because of the court closure, certain cases were selected for judicial review and release of final accountings to provide immediate financial relief. SBSC was even able to offer its first virtual Law Day with resources and information offered entirely electronic. Various online activities included a bingo game, word searches, and an online scavenger hunt that celebrated this year’s theme “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Democracy: the 19th Amendment at 100.” Additional efforts were made by SBSC to ensure the public and attorneys were well informed of the impacts related to COVID-19 and how it relates to their case(s). A designated COVID-19 page was developed and hosted on our public website with the latest information and impacts to court operations. The page also answered numerous questions received from the public on topics including traffic tickets, fines and fees, and calendaring protocols. SBSC also leveraged local organizations, such as the local bar association, justice partners and the media, to ensure our legal community and the public was aware of the impacts on court services. For staff, a remote site was established containing the latest information such as messages from leadership and benefits and pay information during the court closure. As services are incrementally restored, a “new normal” has begun to take shape which includes a slow reopening, and the continuance of face coverings by court staff, judicial officers, attorneys and the public; six feet of social distancing; causal dress attire to allow for frequent washing; additional janitorial cleanings at our court locations and public areas; and impacts to court operations such as for calendaring cases and setting new hearing dates. Sales tax, filing fees and other revenue sources have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with new state revenue forecasts predicting a $54 billion deficit in the fiscal year 2020-21 budget cycle. Although total budget impacts are undetermined at the time of this publication, they will undoubtedly effect the court. In an effort to stay ahead of the potential budget impacts, SBSC has already began to reprioritize projects in order to ensure our budget is in-line with the expected impacts from COVID-19 and that we continue to focus on technology solutions in conjunction with continued safety protocols. As we enter into a new decade with new challenges and uncertainty, SBSC continues its commitment to our community to ensure equal access to justice for all.

VISION

A new decade brings fresh opportunities for the San Bernardino Superior Court (SBSC) to reflect on past achievements, challenges, and to plan for an expanded role within the State of California (State) and the community that we serve. The population and economic growth within San Bernardino County over the next 10 years will increase the need for access and bring focus to the lack of adequate facilities to accommodate access to justice. New housing in the High Desert, North Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario and the Western Corridor will stretch our available resources immensely. In the city of Ontario alone, we saw a 10% growth in population during the last decade. The Inland Empire is now home to over 11% of the State’s population with over 2 million residents living in San Bernardino County—the largest county in the contiguous United States. Growth is a defining factor for our court as we enter into the third year of our Strategic Plan. Our employees are our most valuable asset and the key to a successful future. Since the Great Recession, we have increased staff by 26% and welcomed eight new judgeships. Specifically, in 2019 SBSC received six new judgeships, though a significant critical need still remains.

4

Honorable Michael A. Sachs Presiding Judge

Nancy CS Eberhardt Court Executive Officer

4

Our workforce is the powerhouse behind what we do. It’s our responsibility to ensure that our team has the required knowledge and skills needed to reach their full potential. Over the last year, we have launched dedicated resources for our judicial officers and staff trainings to enhance technical knowledge, soft skills and leadership. Our training and development strategy, defined in the SBSC Strategic Plan , has become our mechanism that establishes what competencies our court requires as we look into the future, and a means to achieve it. In the next decade, SBSC plans to expand services in the cities of Victorville and Barstow by adding criminal, civil, and family law courtrooms, more resources for self-represented litigants, and opening our fourth Children’s Waiting Room to provide childcare services for litigants at the Barstow courthouse. We will add additional judges and courtrooms to address the highest statewide caseload for Juvenile Dependency. Additionally, Needles and Big Bear courthouses will expand services as we anticipate appointments of our six newest judgeships allocated to SBSC as part of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget. By mid-decade, we hope to consolidate San Bernardino Family Law and Child Support services onto one campus for ease of access for our families. Also by mid-decade, our hope is to successfully seek funding to explore a larger High Desert Regional Center to address the explosive growth in our High Desert community.

Growth is not limited by physical location, it also means moving towards a virtual environment. In 2020, we will implement a new case management system for Small Claims, Landlord-Tenant, Civil, and Appeals; with Probate, Family Law, Mental Health, and Child Support quickly following in 2021. This implementation will be our launching pad to a digital court that will include electronic files with remote access and e-filing from your home or office. Self- represented litigants will have remote options by mid-year 2020 through our new program, Direct Access to Self-Help (DASH)—an interactive online platform to access self-help resources, document review, appointment scheduling and live chat to communicate directly to staff. We will continue to explore access to SBSC through video remote proceedings, successfully piloted in Needles and Big Bear during 2018. Welcome to the San Bernardino Superior Court! We are proud of our past accomplishments and excited to eagerly plan our journey into the future of a new decade.

5

Honorable Michael A. Sachs Presiding Judge

Nancy CS Eberhardt Court Executive Officer

5

Expanding Access to Justice Through Expanded Services & User-Focused Technology

6

6

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT SBSC Fun Facts, Court Overview Learn more about our County and the California Judicial System MISSION, VISION AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS Strategic planning is SBSC’s process for defining our direction and making decisions on allocating resources

SELF-HELP See SBSC’s response to the need to increase access to the Court for self- represented litigants

08

22

LANGUAGE ACCESS SBSC provides resources for court users to overcome language barriers for meaningful participation in court proceedings and programs

10

23

12

24 ADOPTION DAY

2019 IN REVIEW Review what SBSC has achieved in 2019

In 2019, Adoption Day celebrated 117 children joining 74 families

18 COLLABORATIVE COURTS See how SBSC’s specialty courts are addressing the underlying issues that may be present in the lives of persons that come before the Court

25 JURY

Over 800,000 jurors were summonsed in 2019. See how SBSC is utilizing technology to increase efficiency.

20

26 FINANCIALS AND WORKLOAD

COMMUNITY OUTREACH SBSC’s award-winning community outreach program bridges the gap between the public and the Court system

SBSC continues to invest in access to justice and infrastructure through state funding equalization

7

7

ABOUT SBSC

Largest county in the United States, population of Serves a population of 2,035,210 people

Largest county in the United States, population of 24 cities and 104 unincorporated communities

Largest county in the United States, population of Largest County in the contiguous United States

Largest county in the United States, 1,109 Employees 77 Judges & 15 Commissioners

Largest county in the United States, population of American Bar Association Winner - 2019 Best Student Program Award for Law Day

Largest county in the United States, population of 12% of California’s geographic area

Largest county in the United States

13 Court Facilities

8

Needles

Barstow

Victorville

Rancho Cucamonga

Big Bear Lake

Joshua Tree

San Bernardino Justice Center Historic Courthouse Child Support

Fontana

Colton/ARMC

Juvenile Dependency Juvenile Delinquency

8

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

COURT OVERVIEW

9

9

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

MISSION Our court exists to preserve

and protect rights and to effect fair resolutions for all disputes through consistent, impartial and accessible administraton of justice

VISION To create efficient, transparent, innovative services with trained, well-qualified employees to provide stable and consistent access to justice stakeholders

10

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS The court continues to advance towards its strategic goals by focusing priorities through strategic directions

10

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

STRATEGIC PLAN 2018-2023

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS Issue Statement: Strengthen relationships among justice partners and with other statewide courts INVESTING IN THE COURT AND THE COMMUNITY Issue Statement: Enhance the efficiency of our judicial officers and staff to provide broad access to justice COMMITTING TO SUCCESS Issue Statement: Integrate the strategic planning goals and guidelines into the operations of the court

SBSC strives to provide fair and accessible access to justice to the residents of San Bernardino County. In 2018, SBSC implemented its first Strategic Plan (SP), representing a culmination of a multi-month effort involving judicial officers and staff who came together to set a vision and SP for the Court’s future. Aligned with the goals of the Judicial Council’s own SP, SBSC strives to create efficient, transparent, and innovative services with well-trained judicial officers and staff to provide stable and consistent access to justice throughout the largest county in the contiguous 48 states. The first three Strategic Directions (Building Relationships, Investing in the Court and the Community, and Committing to Success) provides

the pathway to increase county-wide access to justice; increased statewide relationships;

efficient, functioning and accessible case and data management; and well trained and committed judicial officers and staff.

11

www.sb-court.org/StrategicPlan20182023

11

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

2019 IN REVIEW

12 Growth is the defining factor as we enter into the third year of our Strategic Plan - Nancy Eberhardt, Court Executive Officer

12

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

ACCESS

■ Launched an all-new online appointment scheduling system at the Family Law Division located in San Bernardino. This new scheduling service allows court users to schedule up to two appointments on the same day to file documents on any new or existing family law case. Making an online appointment is free of charge and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ■ Began offering online child custody orientation in Spanish (in addition to English) which ensures access to justice for all litigants, including those self-represented, by leveraging cost-effective technology solutions. ■ Caregivers Accessing Justice (provided by the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino) continues to provide workshops and clinical hours on guidance and information related to guardianship and conservatorship cases. ■ Recently enacted legislation in California may allow for diversion of certain misdemeanors and felonies. The Mental Health Diversion Program is a pre-trial specialty court program for participants in the criminal justice system who have previous mental health history. In its first eight months, the court granted mental disorder diversion to 29 defendants. ■ Shelter Court, a specialty court session for homeless individuals, expanded from a single location in the City of Upland to include a second location in the City of Fontana. Since 2017, Shelter Court has served over 400 homeless individuals with their open misdemeanor or infraction cases by providing accessible locations for homeless defendants who oftentimes do not have access to transportation and as a result miss court appearances. the Fontana Courthouse providing legal services five days a week, in both English and Spanish, to qualified self-represented litigants with eviction cases. Since launching in 2019, TLAP has assisted over 150 customers and as a result, the program expanded in July to the Barstow and Joshua Tree Courthouses. ■ The Tenant Landlord Assistance Project (TLAP) launched at

RELATIONSHIPS

14 ■ The Inland Empire Caucus, composed of local legislators from the State Senate and Assembly, were hosted to learn about local programs, successes, and future initiatives. The visit included a court tour, discussions on pre-trial release, unfunded mandates, legislative priorities, and an update on collaborative courts. ■ Local bar associations have been integral in developing an access plan for the high desert communities. In 2019, the court provided its first of many in-person presentations as part of its core strategy to ensure access to justice. ■ SBSC joined the California Tyler User Group (CATUG), comprised of trial courts throughout California utilizing Tyler Technologies as their case management system software. The group formed to coordinate a collaborative effort of identifying and recommending priority features for statewide application of the Tyler Odyssey Case Management System. ■ The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee provides input on the trial court budget process for the benefit of all trial courts statewide and to propose recommendations to the Judicial Council on trial court funding consistent through council goals and objectives. The 24-member advisory committee, comprised of superior court judges, court executives, and advisory staff from the Judicial Council of California, report directly to the Council. Court Executive Officer Nancy Eberhardt was appointed to this committee by the Chief Justice in 2019. ■ In 2019, Honorable Glenn Yabuno was appointed to the 4th District Court of Appeal’s Regional Committee, for a three-year term to assist superior courts with recruitment and screening of habeas counsel. The committee serves as a critical function, ensuring defendants are properly represented and courts can fulfill their obligations under Proposition 66. ■ In 2019, Honorable Kyle Brodie assumed the role of Chair of the Judicial Council Technology Committee which oversees the Council’s policies concerning technology and technology issues relating to the Branch and the courts.

14

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

DATA ■ Since 1999, SBSC has relied heavily on its legacy case management system (the hardware and software) that electronically records litigant filings, court dates, minutes, rulings, and makes adjudicated records available online to the public and our justice partners. Over the last few years, SBSC has been in the midst of a multi- year implementation project to fully transition onto its new case management system requiring extensive planning, data conversion, system validation, software upgrades, and court-wide training and preparation. The new case management system will provide the platform needed to move SBSC towards paper-on-demand—where all filing information is stored digitally and only provided in paper form when needed. Additional benefits include e-filing, e-signatures and electronic dispute resolution. In 2019, SBSC rolled out its second successful system upgrade for criminal and traffic case types, a necessary step to move forward with the data migration process for Small Claims and Landlord Tenant case types.

– Converted over 400,000 case files for Small Claims and Landlord Tenant

– 1.9 million case files will be converted by 2020

15

15

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

TRAINING ■ In-house training is cost-effective, encouraged and an effective method for training employees. In 2019, over 1,238 training sessions were held for over 6,000 participants in the areas of: – Compliance mandates – Soft-skills – Litigation specific – Leadership/professional development The wide array of topics are delivered through our own Subject Matter Experts (SME), which allows us to customize based on our own training needs. This customizable approach is particularly beneficial with regard to transitioning onto our new case management system. – In 2019, 285 employees participated in end-user training for the criminal and traffic case management system upgrade ■ Judicial Assistants play a unique role in the courtroom and are the go to person for judicial officers and the public. In 2019, the Judicial Assistant Training Program (JATAP) relaunched providing valuable peer-to-peer learning to 163 participants geared towards: – New Judicial Assistants – Specific case types – Judicial Assistant Supervisors ■ Continuing education is a primary focus of our Judicial Administrative Services unit specializing in delivering new methods to enhance the learning experience. In 2019, the following educational opportunities were provided locally which decreases time away from the courtroom and travel costs: – Ethics (x2) – Mental Health Symposium (delivered via video) – Regional Roundtable – Non-binary gender markers – Mental Health – Mentor Workshop ■ The Judicial Officer Mentor Program provides judicial officers support, collegiality and encourages learning during different types of professional transitions. These include: – New court location – New case type assignment – New judicial officer – New role (i.e., supervising or presiding judge)

RELATIONSHIPS

COLLABORATIVE COURTS

Treatment courts are the most successful intervention in our nation’s history for leading people living with substance use and mental health disorders out of the justice system and into lives of recovery and stability 1

Adult Drug Court

Drug Courts are specifically designed court calendars that provide an alternative to traditional criminal justice prosecution for non-violent drug-related offenses. Program goals include reducing recidivism and substance abuse among offenders and increase the likelihood of successful rehabilitation.

Juvenile Courts

Juvenile Drug Courts provide intensive judicial intervention and community supervision of juveniles involved in substance abuse that is not generally available through the traditional court process. Girls Court is a collaborative approach in assisting victims of human trafficking with a focus of providing services rather than conviction or detention. Court for the Individualized Treatment of Adolescents (CITA) is for youth in the juvenile justice system who have been identified as having a significant mental illness. The goal of CITA is to effectively manage the complex problems presented by mentally ill youth who commit delinquent acts through appropriate mental health treatment in the community.

18

Mental Health Court

Mental Health Courts are a type of problem-solving court that provides specific services and treatment of defendants dealing with mental illness. This is an alternative to the traditional court system by connecting defendants to a variety of rehabilitative services and support services in order to reduce criminal activity and improve quality of life.

2019 Judge Morris Award Presented to the Honorable Patrick J. Morris (ret.) for his establishment of San Bernardino treatment courts in 1994.

18

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

1

1 National Association of Drug Court Professionals

In 2019, California’s 31st District Congressman Pete Aguilar (pictured above) visited a veteran’s graduation ceremony to hear first-hand how treatment courts change the lives of veterans in our community.

Shelter Court

Shelter Court is a specialized court session held every month in the cities of Upland and Fontana for homeless individuals who need to resolve open misdemeanor and infraction cases. Homeless individuals can start the process of restoring benefits and obtaining their driver’s license which were once on hold. Since 2017, Shelter Court has served over 400 homeless individuals with open misdemeanor or infraction cases and annually participates in the Stand Down event for homeless at-risk veterans in the Inland Empire.

Veteran’s Treatment Court

Veteran’s Treatment Court targets the root causes of a veterans’ criminal behavior. The goal of Veteran’s Treatment Court is to resolve criminal cases through treatment and support. Veterans take part in a program tailored to address their needs, with judicial supervision, other veterans, treatment providers, mentors and support teams.

19

19

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Community outreach is critical to SBSC and its mission to properly administer and provide equal access to justice. SBSC prides itself on our commitment to public services and our community. Through significant volunteer efforts on the part of our judicial officers, staff and our justice partners, SBSC 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 coordinate various outreach efforts to help educate the public of all ages, all backgrounds and professions to better understand the role of the court and the judicial system as a whole. In 2019, SBSC hosted numerous programs for a variety of school-aged children, to promote dialogue on civics, judicial roles, and encourage youth to serve as leaders in our community. SBSC hosts similar programs for adult audiences such as teachers, religious leaders, and those who want to pursue a career in the legal field. LAW DAY Law Day activities are held in May every year to celebrate the role of law in our society and to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession. In 2019, SBSC hosted seven Law Day student programs to promote awareness of the judiciary, foster civic education, and highlight First Amendment principles through various activities such as hosting: • 15 school field trips for elementary, middle, and high school students • A career fair highlighting various court positions • Four undergraduate campus programs • A Native American Student Law Day • Two in-school contests • A legal clinic and consultation day • An informational social media outreach campaign

20

20

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

MOCK TRIALS Since 1982, SBSC has partnered with the District Attorney’s Office and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools to jointly host the annual Mock Trial competition for high school teams throughout San Bernardino County. In 2019, 429 students from 34 high school teams participated in the 37 th Annual Mock Trial Competition along with 120 volunteers from the legal community and judicial officers. STAND DOWN On September 27, SBSC resolved 29 misdemeanor cases at the 5 th Annual Homeless and At-Risk Veterans Stand Down event held at the March Air Force Base. The Stand Down event is a single location that homeless veterans across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties can access numerous community resources and supplies needed to begin rebuilding their lives.

Over 1,100 students, from 26 schools across the county, visited five San Bernardino court locations to engage in discussions, mock trials, courthouse tours, in addition to viewing real court proceedings. Native American students also had the opportunity to visit the San Manuel Tribal Court and compare tribal versus state court proceedings. Grade school students also participated in poster and essay contests demonstrating their understanding of the 2019 theme. SBSC is the first court in the State of California to be honored with the Best Student Program by the American Bar Association. Law Day programs have been developed and maintained by judicial fellows who are selected by the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State University and placed in court administration to gain first-hand experience in the governance and leadership of the most diverse, complex court system in the nation. COURT CLERGY Court Clergy Conferences bring together religious leaders and judicial officers for a day-long event with structured dialogue on the judicial system and available programs. Religious leaders benefit from learning more about the judicial system, specifically about criminal, juvenile, mental health and family law matters, which enables them to provide better pastoral counseling services to their congregations. On September 18, over 120 local clergy, court staff, mental health and law enforcement professional gathered for SBSC’s sixth Court Clergy Conference at the Diocesan Conference Center in San Bernardino. This conference addressed the multi-faceted nature of mental health, mental illness and included a panel discussion with clergy representatives from across San Bernardino County. Presentations were also provided from San Bernardino’s Department of Behavioral Health, Sheriff’s Department and Probation Department.

MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM

On April 16, the Inaugural Law and Justice Behavioral Health Symposium, a multi-agency collaborative event, was held to provide an opportunity to share information and address the multi-faceted nature of mental health in San Bernardino County. This educational forum was developed to foster dialogue, promote awareness of current trends and provide education on mental health, and improve access to treatment and mental health care through the dissemination of information and resources amongst agencies. Presentations included an overview from the San Bernardino Crisis and Intervention Team on mental health and co-occurring disorders, psychiatric and medications, an interactive activity on hearing voices, and a multi-agency panel discussion on conservatorship, criminal justice, and the collaborative court process.

21

21

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

SELF-HELP

NEW RESOURCE CENTER OPENED IN RANCHO CUCAMONGA On October 7, a new self-help resource center opened at the Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse providing free assistance to self-represented litigants who have guardianship or family law cases involving divorce, legal separation, custody, non-governmental child support or paternity. Self-help center staff can assist with answering questions regarding court processes and procedures, reviewing forms for completion, providing educational materials (including sample forms), and referring litigants to local nonprofit organizations.

RELOCATION OF NEW RESOURCE CENTER AT THE SAN BERNARDINO HISTORIC COURTHOUSE

Renovations finalized in 2019 at the self-help center located in the Historic Courthouse. The newly renovated space allows the center to better assist customers and provides a comfortable waiting area. New additions include enclosed private areas for one-on-one appointments, workshop space for the public and additional meeting space.

i

PROVIDED INFORMATION OR REFERRAL 73,248 INDIVIDUALS SERVED

47,655 INFO AND REFERRALS

2,005 PHONE ASSISTANCE

PHONE ASSISTANCE

IN-PERSON ASSISTANCE

22 The new self-help online customer portal launches in 2020 after a multi-year development project funded by the Judicial Council’s Innovation Grant Program. The online self-help portal will allow self-represented litigants to communicate directly with staff, complete and submit forms for review, register for workshops, and track the status of their active case(s). The portal will also be accessible via mobile phone and is slated to soft launch in early 2020. ONLINE SELF-HELP CUSTOMER PORTAL LAUNCHES IN 2020

22

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

LANGUAGE ACCESS

Litigation Type

Requests

Civil

1,637

Criminal

18,353

INTERPRETER REQUESTS SERVED COURT-WIDE 31,972

Drug Court

70

Family Law

5,417

TOP 3 LANGUAGES Spanish American Sign Language Mandarin REQUESTS BY LANGUAGE Spanish - 29,631 Other - 2,341

Juvenile

1,706

Mental Health

72

Other/Public Assistance

466

Probate

773

LANGUAGES SERVED 43

Traffic/Infractions

248

Landlord/Tenant

348

23

23

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

ADOPTION DAY November is Court Adoption and Permanency Month! 2019 marked the 20 th Anniversary that the Judicial Council of California has recognized the efforts of California Courts and its justice partners to provide children and families with fair judicial proceedings and just permanency outcomes. Court Adoption and Permanency Month is a collective effort to bring awareness to the need of over 125,000 children in the United States, and over 60,000 in California awaiting adoption. 117 children, ranging in ages from eight months to seventeen years old, gained forever families at the 22 nd Annual Adoption Celebration event held on November 21, 2019. The event celebrated 74 families, including the adoption of 26 sibling sets, and resulted in more than 50 children being adopted by relatives. The space-themed event, “Family and a Journey Forever,” included planet-inspired balloons, robots, and rocket-ship décor. The theme focused on compassion, commitment, and community as the foundations for adoptive parents to begin their journey with their children. Participating families came from all over California, Arizona and Texas to finalize their adoptions.

117 Children

74 Families

24

50 Adoptions by Kin

26 Siblings

24

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

JURY

94,971 Total Jurors Served 803,794 Jurors Summoned 4,357 Jury Trials

To increase efficiency during the jury check-in process, SBSC is embracing technology to reduce wait times, paperwork, and trips to the courthouse. Major technological improvements this year include the implementation of tablets and scanners to facilitate and expedite the jury check-in process. By scanning the barcode located on the juror summons postcard, wait times dramatically reduced and information on attendance is quickly available. Prospective jurors appreciate innovation in government and the use of technology to be efficient.

PHONE CALLS 594,772

ELECTRONIC JURY SERVICE NOTIFICATIONS 59,996

EMAILS 30,049

25

25

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

FINANCIALS AND WORKLOAD

CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN ACCESS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH STATE FUNDING EQUALIZATION In Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14, the Judicial Council implemented the Workload Funding model (then known as the “Workload-based Allocation and Funding Methodology” or ”WAFM”) in order to help address historical funding disparities across the 58 counties. At the beginning of this multi-year effort, the SBSC was funded at roughly 48% of its workload-based need. As of Fiscal Year 2019-20, SBSC is now funded at over 78% of its workload need. The FY 2020-21 budget proposals included in the January Proposed Budget would bring SBSC’s funding to about 83% of workload need.

The graphic below provides a visual of how funding allocations have changed during the past nine years.

26

Source: Judicial Council of California

26

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

Locally, SBSC has been challenged with strategic reinvestment in court operations to expand county-wide access and improved infrastructure. All priorities and investments are aligned with the Court’s strategic plan which began in 2018. Highlights of those investments include providing staffing to areas with critical workload needs, investment in a new case management system, aligning litigation types and locations with growing population trends and needs, training and development of staff and judicial officers, and expanding remote access options for court users. The following chart shows how staffing levels have been impacted both pre and post-recession and in conjunction with increased funding to provide for workload needs.

Fiscal Year 2013-14 to 2019-20 Employee Need vs. Actual (with Revenues)

$160

1,600

1,427

1,371

$140

1,267

1,400

1,200

1,194

1,158

$120

1,200

1,054

1,109

$100

1,000

1,031

1,017

959

927

$80

892

800

877

$147

$140

$125

$120

$60

600

$114

$106

$99

$40

400

$20

200

$0

0

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

2019-20 est.

in Millions

Revenues

Needed FTE

Actual FTE

The need for additional judges continues to be a concern for SBSC. The FY 2019-20 budget provided new funding for the support of six judgeships. Judicial Council provided an updated report to the Legislature in September 2019 on the need for judges throughout California and San Bernardino leads the state with the greatest need for additional judges.

TOTAL JUDICIAL NEED

137.8

49.8

88

27

SAN BERNARDINO

Authorized and Funded Judicial Positions

Judicial Positions Needed

27

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 FUNDING BY SOURCE

28

28

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 EXPENSES BY CATEGORY

29

29

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

5- YEAR TRENDS

CASE FILINGS

Case Type

Filings

41 % + LIMITED CIVIL

Civil Unlimited

11,046

Limited Civil filings (including unlawful detainer) have increased by 13.5% since last fiscal year (2017-2018) and 41.2% over the 5 previous fiscal years (since Fiscal Year 2014-2015)

Civil Limited

34,498

Small Claims

11,169

Unlawful Detainer

10,836

Felonies

12,808

Misdemeanors

36,197

UNLIMITED CIVIL 24% +

4,339

Infractions Non-traffic

Unlimited Civil filings have increased 24.1% over the past 5 years (since Fiscal Year 2014-2015)

Family Law

27,647

Juvenile Delinquency

2,442

4,423

Juvenile Dependency

67% +

30

Mental Health

1,324

PROBATE

Trust filings have increased 22.6% since last fiscal year (2017-2018) and 67.1% over the previous five years (since 2014-2015) Conservatorship filings have increased 24.3% over the previous five years (since Fiscal Year 2014-2015) and 12.9% since last fiscal year (2017-2018)

Probate

2,763

Traffic

168,068

Appellate

281

TOTAL

327,841

30

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

31

31

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

COURT SERVICES & LOCATIONS HOURS

SAN BERNARDINO JUSTICE CENTER 247 West Third Street, San Bernardino

The San Bernardino Justice Center (SBJC) opened in 2014. The courthouse occupies a total of 383,000 square feet on a seven acre site, consisting of two parts an 11-story courtroom tower and a three-story podium. SBJC serves as the center of operations for civil, criminal, probate, jury, administration, sheriff’s operation and holding, a children’s waiting room, and 35 courtrooms.

HISTORIC COURTHOUSE & CENTRAL ANNEX 351 North Arrowhead Avenue, San Bernardino

The Historic Courthouse was built in 1927 and has served as a welfare building in 1937, and a county library and heating plant in 1940. The four-story, 86,225 square-feet classically-inspired building, contains 10 courtrooms and serves as SBSC’s primary Family Law center housing self- help, family court services, and a children’s waiting room.

JUVENILE DEPENDENCY 860 East Gilbert Street, San Bernardino

The Juvenile Dependency courthouse opened in 2003, housing four courtrooms, and permitting all juvenile dependency court services and related support agencies to reside in one building, including the Department of Children and Family Services and the County Counsel’s Office.

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY 900 East Gilbert Street, San Bernardino

The Juvenile Delinquency Courthouse is the only courthouse solely designated to hear cases in which anyone under the age of 18 is accused of breaking the law. This courthouse is a shared-space with Juvenile Probation, the Public Defender’s Office and District Attorney’s Office, housing three courtrooms.

CHILD SUPPORT COURTHOUSE 655 West 2nd Street, San Bernardino

The Child Support Courthouse is solely dedicated to hearing child support cases (financial and medical) from residents who reside in the inland valley. This shared- space is also occupied by the Department of Child Support Services, spanning 20,735 square feet with two courtrooms.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA COURTHOUSE 8303 Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga

33 Defender, Sheriff’s Department and Probation. The building recently received an upgrade, expanding the security and weapons screening area to accommodate new equipment. The Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse serves as the only courthouse solely dedicated to hearing criminal cases. The 233,721 square foot building houses 20 courtrooms and is co-occupied by the District Attorney’s Office, Public

33

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

FONTANA COURTHOUSE 17780 Arrow Boulevard, Fontana

The Fontana Courthouse spans 21,366 square feet, and features a self-help center, children’s waiting room and eight courtrooms hearing small claims, landlord-tenant (eviction), and traffic matters.

VICTORVILLE COURTHOUSE 14455 Civic Drive, Victorville

The Victorville Courthouse is jointly occupied by the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender, Sheriff’s Department, and Juvenile Detention. The building houses 15 courtrooms hearing criminal, family law, and juvenile delinquency matters.

34

BARSTOW COURTHOUSE 235 East Mountain View Street, Barstow

The Barstow Courthouse spans 18,396 square feet and is co-occupied by the District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender, and Sheriff’s Department. In this shared-space, the building houses two courtrooms hearing small claims, landlord-tenant, civil restraining orders and traffic matters.

34

SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

BIG BEAR COURTHOUSE 477 Summit Boulevard, Big Bear Lake The Big Bear Courthouse reopened on January 12, 2018, after being closed since 2013. Through a statewide innovation grant, SBSC began offering remote video proceedings (RVP) for traffic and non-traffic infraction matters on the second and fourth Friday of each month. On November 9, 2018, RVP expanded to include misdemeanor modifications. The building houses one courtroom, a self-help center and clerk’s office.

JOSHUA TREE COURTHOUSE 6527 White Feather Road, Joshua Tree

Nestled where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, the Joshua Tree Courthouse is located 75 miles east of downtown San Bernardino. The building is co-occupied by the District Attorney, Sheriff’s Department and Public Defender, and houses four courtrooms hearing civil, criminal and traffic matters.

NEEDLES COURTHOUSE 1111 Bailey Avenue, Needles

Lying on the western banks of the Colorado River, near the borders of Arizona and Nevada, the Needles Courthouse reopened in July 2017 providing limited services on the first Friday of each month. Housing a single courtroom, residents of the Needles area can resolve traffic infractions and misdemeanor cases using remote video proceedings.

ARROWHEAD REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 400 North Pepper Avenue, Colton

Since 1999, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) has housed the state’s only in-hospital courtroom serving mental health patients. Courtroom cases are almost all related to the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, which can give doctors the right to treat patients who are unable to make their own health care decisions due to a serious mental illness. From 1983 to 1999, the court held these hearings at another county hospital.

35

35

2019 STATE OF THE COURT

ANNUAL REPORT SAN BERNARDINO SUPERIOR COURT

Contact: Julie Van Hook Communications and Public Affairs Officer

Contributor: Anthony Stijepovic Intern

TEL : (909) 708 - 8779 EMAIL: COURTS-PIO@SB-COURT.ORG SITE: WWW.SB-COURT.ORG