Article 3. Coordinated Educational Programs For The Judiciary of California Government Code >> Title 8. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 3.

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.

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.

(a) The Judicial Council shall establish judicial training programs for judges, referees, commissioners, mediators, and others who are deemed appropriate who perform duties in family law matters.
  (b) 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.
  (c) The training shall include instruction in all aspects of family law, including effects of gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation 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.

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.

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.

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.