On March 16, California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye
issued guidance to California trial courts seeking emergency
orders to adjust or suspend court operations in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Current California law circumscribes the authority of the Chief
Justice during emergencies. Presiding judges of county superior
courts may petition the Chief Justice—as chair of the Judicial
Council—for an emergency order to support their local needs.
The law (Section
68115 of the Government Code) allows local courts to request
a number of relief measures, including declaring holidays to
recalculate filing deadlines, extending temporary restraining
orders, holding sessions elsewhere in the county, extending the
time for a criminal trial to be held, and others.
(Note: All emergency orders signed by the Chief
Justice related to COVID-19 can be found
here).
The Chief Justice’s guidance serves as a blueprint for requests
that would be presumptively approved. Requests beyond those
listed in the advisory will also be expedited.
