SECTIONS 68551-68555 - California Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

SECTION 68551-68555

68551. The Judicial Council is authorized to conduct institutes and
seminars from time to time, either regionally or on a statewide
basis, for the purpose of orienting judges to new judicial
assignments, keeping them informed concerning new developments in the
law and promoting uniformity in judicial procedure. Such institutes
and seminars shall include, without being limited thereto,
consideration of juvenile court proceedings, sentencing practices in
criminal cases and the handling of traffic cases. Actual and
necessary expenses incurred by superior and municipal court judges at
any such institute or seminar shall be a charge against the county
to the extent that funds are available therefor.

68552. In carrying out its duties under this article, the Judicial
Council may publish and distribute manuals, guides, checklists and
other materials designed to assist the judiciary.

68553. The Judicial Council shall establish judicial training
programs for judges, referees, commissioners, mediators, and others
as deemed appropriate who perform duties in family law matters.
The training shall include a family law session in any orientation
session conducted for newly appointed or elected judges and an
annual training session in family law.
The training shall include instruction in all aspects of family
law, including effects of gender on family law proceedings, the
economic effects of dissolution on the involved parties, and, on and
after July 1, 1994, the effects of allegations of child abuse or
neglect made during family law proceedings.

68553.5. To the extent resources are available, the Judicial
Council shall provide education on mental health and developmental
disability issues affecting juveniles in delinquency proceedings
pursuant to Section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to
judicial officers and, as appropriate, to other public officers and
entities that may be involved in the arrest, evaluation, prosecution,
defense, disposition, and postdisposition or placement phases of
delinquency proceedings. The education shall include, to the extent
possible, using available resources, information on the early
identification of mental illness or developmental disability in
delinquency proceedings, on statutory and case law providing for the
assessment or evaluation of minors with mental health problems or
developmental disabilities, on specialized adjudication or
disposition procedures, such as mental health courts, that may apply
to these minors, and on appropriate programs, services, and
placements for minors with mental health problems or developmental
disabilities, including information on the benefits and detriments of
placing minors with mental health problems or developmental
disabilities in secure juvenile justice facilities, such as the
Department of the Youth Authority.

68554. Notwithstanding subdivisions (f) and (g) of Section 1770,
the Judicial Council may grant any judge a leave of absence for a
period not to exceed one year for the purpose of permitting study
which will benefit the administration of justice and the individual's
performance of judicial duties, upon a finding that the absence will
not work to the detriment of the court. During a study leave, the
judge shall receive no compensation, nor shall the period of absence
count as service toward retirement, but the time of leave shall not
toll the term of office.

68555. The Judicial Council shall establish judicial training
programs for individuals who perform duties in domestic violence
matters, including, but not limited to, judges, referees,
commissioners, mediators, and others as deemed appropriate by the
Judicial Council. The training programs shall include a domestic
violence session in any orientation session conducted for newly
appointed or elected judges and an annual training session in
domestic violence. The training programs shall include instruction in
all aspects of domestic violence.