Judges and Judiciary
Oct. 20, 2026
California courts face growing judge shortage as caseloads become more complex
A Judicial Council study found California needs 231 additional judgeships across 22 counties, though that estimate was revised downward by the close of Friday's meeting.
A new report has found that California needs 231 additional judgeships across 22 superior courts, more than double the shortage identified four years ago.
The changes reflect increasingly complex cases, new legal requirements, and staffing shortages that place growing demands on the judiciary. But a Friday vote by the Judicial Council to change the methodology for determining judicial need revised these numbers downward.
The findings presented at the council's Oct. 16...
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