After working in the courts for a decade and a half, I am well aware of the issues that face the court system. However, many of the issues are created by the lack of focus on the meaning of the job: service of the Public's access to justice. Below is a news story how my local County Court's mishandling (and even possible unethical maneuvering) will cut off access to so many in need of court services.
The presiding judge in the article above admits to the courts mishandling of the funding available to improve the Ridgecrest court. However the deeper issue is the incredible ongoing plan to close the court, instead of regain the funding that was so carelessly canceled.
The loss of the funding came because of misinformation and possible unethical maneuvering to make it more convenient for judicial officers to cover Ridgecrest.
Ironically, we now have two judicial officers living in Ridgecrest for the first time since Patrick Glennon retired to my personal knowledge. The last judge to actually live in Ridgecrest (besides long term resident Kenneth Pritchard) was the honorable Catherine D. Purcell. Since then there has been a steady stream of carpetbagger judicial officers who live out of the area and cannot wait to use the local court as a stepping stone to an assignment in their area closer to their home. This has never served the interests of citizens in Ridgecrest, but at least citzens had access to the courts.
I am so disappointed in this County court's policies and their attempts to close the Ridgecrest Branch Court. It is broken justice that they are intending to close service to an entire population in favor of convenience to judicial officers or budgets for other parts of the county. Equal access to justice is not being served.
It is up to citizens to speak up... here is how you can do it.
Inform yourself:
Ridgecrest is one of the most isolated Kern County cities as it’s surrounded by four mountain ranges. Ridgecrest is located in the northeast corner of Kern County, surrounded by four mountain ranges: the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains on the south. The nearest major urban areas are Lancaster/Palmdale (82 miles), Bakersfield (110 miles), and San Bernardino (120 miles). https://www.ridgecrest-ca.gov/294/About-Ridgecrest#:~:text=in%20the%20northeast%20corner%20of,Paso%20Mountains%20on%20the%20south
Ridgecrest Serves 40K plus: Attaining in a decade what most communities take half a century to accomplish, Ridgecrest serves a population exceeding 40,000 and includes the communities of China Lake, Inyokern, Johannesburg, Randsburg, and other unincorporated communities. https://www.ridgecrest-ca.gov/294/About-Ridgecrest#:~:text=in%20the%20northeast%20corner%20of,Paso%20Mountains%20on%20the%20south
Kern County Superior Court Vision Statement promises access: "It is our vision to ensure that all members of the public have access to a fair and independent court that provides justice under the law, and serves each person professionally, with integrity and respect." https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/general-information/community-outreach
Kern County Superior Court Mission Statement promises fairness: "The mission of the Kern County Superior Court is to provide justice fairly and efficiently for all." https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/general-information/community-o
Courts are required to notify and seek public input before deciding: California Rule of Court 10.620 addresses public access to certain administrative decisions made by trial courts. It sets forth requirements for trial courts to provide public notice, and seek public input, regarding budget recommendations made by trial courts to Judicial Council and specified administrative decisions. Under Government Code section 68106, courts must provide written notice to the public and to the Judicial Council at least 60 days before putting into effect a plan to reduce costs by closing courtrooms or clerks' offices or reducing clerks’ office hours. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=68106&lawCode=GOV
Budget decisions about court closures require notice so that the public input can be sent to Judicial Council directly. "The Administrative Director may request, on 30 court days' notice, recommendations from the trial courts concerning judicial branch budget priorities. The notice must state that if a trial court is to make recommendations, the trial court must also give notice, as provided in (g), that interested members of the public may send input to the Judicial Council." https://www.courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index.cfm?title=ten&linkid=rule10_620
Courts have experienced "confusion" about the requirements of public input: The AOC has reported that there is confusion over the courts complying with public input. www.courts.ca.gov/documents/SPR15-30.pdf - 2022-02-27
Kern County provided one notice to the AOC: The AOC is required to post the notices that courts give regarding budgetary/court closures and Kern County has only provided one such notice. https://www.courts.ca.gov/12973.htm
Contact your representatives
Write a letter to your representatives using the information that is important for you. Below are emails, links to online submission forms, faxes and addresses where you can send them.
Court representatives:
Kern County Superior Court
Supervising East Division Judge Kenneth Pritchard
132 E. Coso Avenue
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Kern County Superior Court
Presiding Judge J. Eric Bradshaw
1415 Truxtun Avenue, Department 1
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Email: WMAdmin@kern.courts.ca.gov
Kern County District Attorney
Cynthia Zimmer
1215 Truxtun Avenue
Bakersfield, CA93301
Phone: (661) 868-2340
Fax: (661) 868-2700
Online contact form: https://www.kerncounty.com/government/departments/district-attorney/contact-district-attorney
Donny Youngblood
1350 Norris Road
Bakersfield, CA93308
Phone: (661) 391-7500
Email: sheriff@kernsheriff.org
AOC (Administrative Office of Courts)/Judicial Council contacts:
There are several committees regarding court facilities that you can contact regarding court closures. Each of these committees have their own website and list of committee members. The individual committee members are usually made up from members of different county courts who also can be contacted at their individual court. Below is the general information of the websites for the committees and the committee as a whole's email, but in addition you may contact the individual members: https://www.courts.ca.gov/programs-facilities.htm
The Court Facility Advisor Committee makes recommendations to the AOC about the building capital program for trial courts like Kern County. They broadcast their meetings. This advisory committee's members are listed, and dates of meetings.
Email: cfac@jud.ca.gov
Committee members: https://www.courts.ca.gov/cfac.htm
There is also the Trial Court Facility Modification Advisory Committee which is for renovations and maintenance.
Email: TCFMAC@jud.ca.gov
Committee members: https://www.courts.ca.gov/tcfmac.htm#panel26374
State Representatives
State Assembly (District 32), Assemblymember
District Office
4550 California Avenue Suite 740 Bakersfield, CA 93309 Phone: 661-395-2995
Online email submission form: https://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=AD32&inframe=N
State Senate (District 12), Senator
5701 Truxtun Ave., Suite 150 Bakersfield, CA 93309 Phone: (661) 323-0443 Fax: (661) 323-0446
Kevin McCarthy
4100 Empire Drive, Suite 150
Bakersfield, CA 93309
Phone: (661) 327-3611
Fax: (661) 637-0867
Online email submission form: https://kevinmccarthy.house.gov/address_authentication?form=/contact
Alex Padilla
U.S. Senator B03
2500 Tulare Street Suite 5290 Fresno, CA 93721
Phone: (559) 497-5109
Fax: (202) 228-3864
Online email submission form: https://www.padilla.senate.gov/contact/contact-form/
Dianne Feinstein
U.S. Senator
2500 Tulare Street, Suite 4290
Fresno, CA 93721
Phone: (559) 485-7430
Fax: (559) 485-9689
Online email submission form: https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
Gavin Newsom
Governor of California
1021 O Street, Suite 9000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-2841
Online email submission form: https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/
Eleni Kounalakis
1021 O Street, Suite 8730 Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-8994
Online email submission form: https://ltg.ca.gov/contact/
Rob Bonta
CA State Attorney General
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Phone: (916) 445-9555
Online email submission form: https://oag.ca.gov/consumers
County Representative
Phillip Peters
County Supervisor, 1st District 400 North China Lake Boulevard Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Online email submission form: https://kerncounty.seamlessdocs.com/f/District1ComplaintForm
Email: district1@kerncounty.com
Phone: (661) 868-3650
City Representatives
Eric Bruen, Mayor
Scott Hayman, Mayor Pro Tem
Solomon Rajaratnam, Vice Mayor
Kyle Blades, Council Member
Peggy Breeden, Council Member
Ricca Charlon, City Clerk
Ron Strand, City Manager
City Of Ridgecrest
100 W California Avenue
Ridgecrest, Ca 93555
Phone: 760-499-5000
Online email submission form link for each representative:
Comments