2020 State of the Court Report

Reflections on 2020: The path to resilience

We can all acknowledge that COVID-19 will not be our last disaster nor our last healthcare emergency. The lessons learned can both prepare SBSC for the next challenge and help reduce and eliminate long-standing inequalities in the court system.

We found having flexible plans and policies for court administration as well as court operations will continue to be an asset in the event of another emergency. Flexible plans and policies allow SBSC to be nimble when needed in order to continue court operations for our most vulnerable community, including children, the elder, and the abused. A team effort will always prevail. SBSC tackled a global pandemic and reinstated court services in less than 75 days. This paramount accomplishment would not have been achieved if it was not for a dedicated and collaborative team effort among judicial officers and employees. Collaboration among

justice partners from San Bernardino County also enabled SBSC to address a multitude of issues including compliance with local health guidance, identifying a uniform bail schedule, and ensuring the health and safety of judicial officers and employees. Feedback is incredibly important in all aspects of public service. Knee-deep in a global pandemic, SBSC ensured feedback was sought and integrated as we navigated these uncharted waters. Feedback was sought also through an anonymous process internally, via email and provided to top leaders of the court. Externally, San Bernardino County justice partners worked together to ensure the safety of those who enter