ARTICLE 1. General Provisions [77000. - 77013.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 1.
in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77001. Section 77001.

The Judicial Council shall adopt rules which establish a decentralized system of trial court management. These rules shall ensure: (a) Local authority and responsibility of trial courts to manage day-to-day operations. (b) Countywide administration of the trial courts. (c) The authority and responsibility of trial courts to manage all of the following, consistent with statute, rules of court, and standards of judicial administration: (1) Annual allocation of funding, including policies and procedures about moving funding between functions or line items or programs. (2) Local personnel plans, including the promulgation of personnel policies. (3) Processes and procedures to improve court operations and responsiveness to the public. (4) The trial courts of each county shall establish the means of selecting presiding judges, assistant presiding judges, executive officers or court administrators, clerks of court, and jury commissioners. (d) Trial court input into the Judicial Council budget process. (e) Equal access to justice throughout California utilizing standard practices and procedures whenever feasible.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77003. Section 77003.

(a) As used in this chapter, “court operations” means all of the following: (1) Salaries, benefits, and public agency retirement contributions for superior court judges and for subordinate judicial officers. For purposes of this paragraph, “subordinate judicial officers” includes all commissioner or referee positions created prior to July 1, 1997, including positions created in the municipal court prior to July 1, 1997, which thereafter became positions in the superior court as a result of unification of the municipal and superior courts in a county, and including those commissioner positions created pursuant to former Sections 69904, 70141, 70141.9, 70142.11, 72607, 73794, 74841.5, and 74908; and includes any staff who provide direct support to commissioners; but does not include commissioners or staff who provide direct support to the commissioners whose positions were created after July 1, 1997, unless approved by the Judicial Council, subject to availability of funding. (2) The salary, benefits, and public agency retirement contributions for other court staff. (3) Court security, but only to the extent consistent with court responsibilities under Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 69920) of Chapter 5. (4) Court-appointed counsel in juvenile court dependency proceedings and counsel appointed by the court to represent a minor pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3150) of Part 2 of Division 8 of the Family Code. (5) Services and supplies relating to court operations. (6) Collective bargaining under Sections 71630 and 71639.3 with respect to court employees. (7) Subject to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 77212, actual indirect costs for county and city and county general services attributable to court operations, but specifically excluding, but not limited to, law library operations conducted by a trust pursuant to statute; courthouse construction; district attorney services; probation services; indigent criminal defense; grand jury expenses and operations; and pretrial release services. (8) Except as provided in subdivision (b), and subject to Article 8.5 (commencing with Section 69920) of Chapter 5, other matters listed as court operations in Rule 10.810 of the California Rules of Court as it read on January 1, 2007. (b) However, “court operations” does not include collection enhancements as defined in Rule 10.810 of the California Rules of Court as it read on January 1, 2007.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77004. Section 77004.

As used in this chapter, “option county” means a county which has adopted the provisions of this chapter for the current fiscal year.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77005. Section 77005.

As used in this chapter, “state-mandated local program” means any and all reimbursements owed or owing by operation of either Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution, or Section 17561 of the Government Code, or both.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77006.5. Section 77006.5.

As used in this chapter, “trial court funding” means the amount of state funds provided for the operation of the trial courts, as defined in Section 77003, appropriated in the Budget Act, and allocated or reallocated by the Judicial Council.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77008. Section 77008.

As used in this chapter, “filing fees” means any and all fees and charges, liberally construed, collected or collectible for filing, processing, including service of process, copying, endorsing, or for any other service related to court operations as defined in Section 77003.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77009. Section 77009.

(a) The Judicial Council may establish bank accounts for the superior courts and require the courts to deposit moneys for trial court operations, and any other moneys under the control of the courts, into those accounts. Deposits to these accounts shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Moneys appropriated in the Budget Act and allocated or reallocated to the superior court by the Judicial Council. (2) Moneys held in trust. (3) Other moneys as deemed necessary or appropriate. (b) Subdivision (a) shall not apply to payments from a party or a defendant received by the superior court for any criminal fees, fines, or forfeitures. However, the court and county may enter into a contract for the court to provide depository services in an account established by the Judicial Council for criminal fees, fines, and forfeitures, with the approval of the Administrative Director of the Courts. The contract shall identify the scope of service, method of service delivery, term of agreement, anticipated service outcomes, and the cost of the service. The amount of any indirect or overhead costs shall be individually stated with the method of calculation of the indirect or overhead costs. (c) Moneys deposited into a bank account established pursuant to subdivision (a) for the Trial Court Operations Fund that are appropriated in the Budget Act and allocated or reallocated to the superior court by the Judicial Council shall be payable only for the purposes set forth in Sections 77003 and 77006.5, and for services purchased by the court pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 77212. (d) (1) All moneys received by a superior court from any source for court operating and program purposes shall be deposited into a bank account established pursuant to subdivision (a) and accounted for in the Trial Court Operations Fund. Moneys that are received to fulfill the requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 4250) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 9 and Division 14 (commencing with Section 10000) of the Family Code shall be identified and maintained in a separate account established in the fund for this purpose. (2) All other moneys deposited into a bank account established pursuant to subdivision (a) and accounted for in the Trial Court Operations Fund that are received for purposes other than court operations, as defined in Section 77003 and Rule 10.810 of the California Rules of Court, shall be identified and maintained in separate accounts in the fund. (3) This subdivision shall not apply to either of the following: (A) Moneys received by the courts pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of this section and Section 68084, if those moneys are not for court operating or program purposes. (B) Payments from a party or a defendant received by the county for any fees, fines, or forfeitures; moneys collected by the superior court under Chapter 5.8 (commencing with Section 70600); or fees and fines to which Section 68085.1 applies. (e) The presiding judge of the superior court, or his or her designee, shall authorize and direct all expenditures by the court for operating and program purposes from any account established under subdivision (b) or (c). (f) The Judicial Council, in consultation with the Controller’s office, shall establish procedures to implement this section and to provide for payment of trial court operations expenses, as described in Sections 77003 and 77006.5, incurred on July 1, 1997, and thereafter. (g) (1) If the Judicial Council has not established bank accounts pursuant to subdivision (a), the court shall contract with the county for fiscal services. Each board of supervisors shall maintain in the county treasury a Trial Court Operations Fund, which will operate as an agency fund. All moneys appropriated in the Budget Act and allocated and reallocated to the superior court in the county by the Judicial Council shall be deposited into the fund. (2) Moneys deposited into the fund that are appropriated for the Trial Court Operations Fund in the Budget Act and allocated or reallocated to the superior court by the Judicial Council shall be payable only for the purposes set forth in Sections 77003 and 77006.5, and for services purchased by the court pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 77212. The presiding judge of the superior court, or his or her designee, shall authorize and direct expenditures from the fund and the county auditor-controller shall make payments from the funds as directed. Approval of the board of supervisors is not required for expenditure from this fund. (3) All moneys received by a superior court from any source for court operating and program purposes shall be deposited in the fund, except as provided in this subdivision. Moneys that are received to fulfill the requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 4250) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 9 and Division 14 (commencing with Section 10000) of the Family Code shall be identified and maintained in a separate account established in the fund for this purpose. All other moneys that are received for purposes other than court operations, as defined in Section 77003 and Rule 10.810 of the California Rules of Court, shall be identified and maintained in one or more separate accounts established in the fund pursuant to procedures adopted by the Judicial Council. This subdivision shall only apply to moneys received by the courts for operating and program purposes. This subdivision shall not apply to either of the following: (A) Moneys received by the courts pursuant to Section 68084, if those funds are not for court operating or program purposes. (B) Payments from a party or a defendant received by the county for any fees, fines, or forfeitures; moneys collected by the superior court under Chapter 5.8 (commencing with Section 70600); or fees and fines to which Section 68085.1 applies. (4) Interest received by a county that is attributable to investment of moneys, which interest is required by this subdivision to be deposited in the superior court’s fund, shall be deposited in the fund and shall be used for trial court operations purposes. (5) In no event shall interest be charged to the superior court’s fund, except as provided in Section 77009.1. (6) Reasonable administrative expenses incurred by the county associated with the operation of this fund shall be charged to the superior court. (7) A county, or city and county, may bill the superior court within its jurisdiction for costs for services provided by the county, or city and county, as described in Sections 77003 and 77212, including indirect costs as described in paragraph (7) of subdivision (a) of Section 77003 and Section 77212. The costs billed by the county, or the city and the county, pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed the costs incurred by the county, or the city and the county, of providing similar services to county departments or special districts. (8) Pursuant to Section 77206, the Controller, at the request of the Legislature, may perform financial and fiscal compliance audits of this fund. The Judicial Council or its representatives may perform audits, reviews, and investigations of this fund wherever the records may be located. (h) The Judicial Council or its representatives may perform audits, reviews, and investigations of superior court operations and records wherever they may be located.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 77009.1. Section 77009.1.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a county or city and county may, pursuant to this section, lend money to the trial courts of that county to help the courts with cash-flow problems or other emergency monetary needs. If a county lends a trial court money pursuant to this section, it may charge interest at the county pooled money investment account rate. (b) A trial court may seek a loan of funds under this section only after the Judicial Council has given notice of the loan to the Department of Finance and has thereafter approved the loan. (c) The Judicial Council shall adopt procedures and criteria concerning any loans of funds pursuant to this section and may delegate to the Administrative Director of the Courts the authority to approve the loan. (d) A trial court budget approved by the Judicial Council shall not be increased as a result of a loan made pursuant to this section. (e) A county or city and county shall not be compelled or required to provide a loan to the trial courts of that county pursuant to this section.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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