Inventory of the Judicial Council of California Records

ID R173.001, Box 1, folder 1 - Box 2, folder 22

Series 1 County Correspondence 1926-1948 bulk 1927-1934

Physical Description: 71 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by the county. Within each county, correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name of individual judge first, followed by Superior Court, and then County Clerk. Some counties also include files on Presiding Judge, Appellate Department, and Administrative Officer.

Scope and Content Note

County correspondence includes correspondence between the Judicial Council and county courts, judges, and clerks related to the operation and administration of the courts. Files also concern the organization of the Judicial Council, work on research projects, court calendars, assignment of judges to sit on cases of other counties, requests by counties for assignment of judges, appointments to the Judicial Council, requests for expenses and mileage by judges assigned to other counties, and similar topics. The County Clerk Correspondence mainly relates to judicial assignment and compensation of judges. The Santa Barbara files concerns the Blodgett v. Trabucco case that pertained to judges' salaries. Counties represented include Fresno, Imperial, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Barbara, Sierra, and Siskiyou.

ID R176.002, Box 2, folders 23 - 26

Series 2 Judicial Council Administrator Correspondence 1931-1932, 1937-1942

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Telegrams, memoranda, and correspondence with federal judges regarding administration and office operations of county courts, costs of court operations, and court fees. The series is primarily comprised of correspondence of the Secretary of Judicial Council and assistant secretary. Included is a variety correspondence with Harry Hollzer (1931-1932), who worked as the lead researcher of the Judicial Council.

ID R176.003, Box 2, folder 27 - Box 3, folder 2

Series 3 Appellate Court Correspondence 1926-1942

Physical Description: 8 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by Appellate Court District number, then numerically by administrative Division with District, and then chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, memoranda, and newspaper articles concerning operations of the Appellate Courts, including assignments of judges to courts with congested calendars; investigations into the improvement of the administration of Appellate Courts; discussions on problems, practices and procedures, legislation affecting courts; implementation of new rules of practice including changes in rules for hearing writs; assignment of judges to sit on Appellate Courts; and concerns about tabulating of uncalendared appeals. The majority of the records are from the Judicial Council Secretary to judges.

ID R176.004, Box 3, folders 3 - 6

Series 4 Chief Justice Correspondence 1940-1954

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by folder title (General Correspondence, Legislative Matters, and Municipal Courts).

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, telegrams, newspaper articles, and similar records often addressed to the Chief Justice. The General Correspondence files (1940-1947) concern operations of the Judicial Council and include an address by Chief Justice Gibson to the Los Angeles Bar Association titled "The Work of Judicial Council" and dated January 9, 1941. The Legislative Matters file (1950-1951) includes the vacancies of and need for additional judges as well as the passage of Proposition 2 (1950). The Municipal Court file (1947-1954) includes congratulation letters to local judges upon their election.

ID R176.005, Box 3, folder 7

Series 5 Secretary Correspondence 1931-1941

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Memoranda and correspondence regarding assignment of judges, judge salaries, county requests for assistance on overburdened calendars, and required reports.

ID R176.006, Box 3, folders 8 - 10

Series 6 Judicial Council Members Correspondence 1926-1940

Physical Description: 3 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Memoranda and correspondence pertaining to such topics as the Judicial Council research program, appointing of Judicial Council members, assignment of judges, calling of meetings, legislative needs, questions about requiring written opinion by Appellate Court cases, work with the State Bar, condition of the court system, and need for improvement of the judicial system.

ID R176.007, Box 3, folders 11 - 12

Series 7 State Bar Advisory Committee Correspondence 1929-1942

Physical Description: 2 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Memoranda and correspondence concerning suggestions for amending the State Constitution and codes, appointment of members, calling of meetings, matters concerning the Judicial Council, and study of the Appellate Court structure. The committee was set up by the State Bar to advise and cooperate with the Judicial Council.

ID R176.008, Box 3, folders 13 - 16

Series 8 Justice, City and Police Court Survey Files 1941-1942

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged with General File first, followed by Background File, and then Correspondence.

Scope and Content Note

Studies, surveys, and reports on the status of Justice, Police, City and Recorders Courts, including views on conditions of those courts, comments and suggestions for improvement, and summaries of information as well as specific information on courts in individual cities and counties.

ID R176.009, Box 3, folders 17 - 18

Series 9 University Professors Files 1931-1938

Physical Description: 2 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, memoranda, and studies pertaining to such topics as the study of problems of the judicial system, improvements in the administration of justice, proposed revisions to California Constitution Article VI and Code of Civil Procedure sections, need for judicial statistics, support of research projects with the UC Berkeley Bureau of Public Administration, and a study of criminal appeals system.

ID R176.010, Box 3, folder 19

Series 10 Circular Letters 1931-1941

Physical Description: 1 file folder

Arrangement

Arranged generally in chronological order.

Scope and Content Note

Forms, memoranda, instructions for preparation of forms, and general information distributed to courts and county clerks by the Judicial Council.

ID R176.011, Box 3, folder 20 - Box 4, folder 1

Series 11 Correspondence 1942-1950, 1956-1959

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged generally in chronological order.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, reports, memoranda, and newspaper articles concerned with committee assignments, work of conferences, legislative program, appellate rules, committee reports, recommendations for changes to Rules of Court including Rules on Appeal and Rules on Appellate Procedure.

ID R176.012, Box 4, folder 2 - Box 7, folder 5

Series 12 Court Reorganization Files 1941-1953

Physical Description: 63 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject title.

Scope and Content Note

Reports, correspondence, legislative background information, memoranda, newspaper articles, notes, copies of legislative bills, speeches, summaries, and suggestions related to the proposed revision and reorganization of the inferior courts. In 1947 (Resolution Chapter 47, Statutes of 1947), the Legislature asked the Judicial Council to study the organization, jurisdiction, and practices of courts below the superior courts, and then make recommendations for the improvement of their administration. The files reflect the efforts by the Judicial Council to survey the courts that exercised jurisdiction of courts inferior to Superior Courts and develop suggestions advocating inferior court reorganization. Included are numerous speeches and talks by Chief Justice Gibson on the problems of the inferior courts, as well as advocating for reorganization and passage of Proposition 3 (1950). Throughout the series is a significant amount of material on traffic courts.

ID R176.013, Box 7, folders 6 - 25

Series 13 Practices and Procedures Files 1927-1938

Physical Description: 20 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject title.

Scope and Content Note

Reports, correspondence, newspaper articles, memoranda, notes, forms, charts, and copies of legislative bills related to the development of uniform practices and procedures in the state court systems and the systematization of the administration of courts. Topics covered included the need for additional judges in Los Angeles County, legislation affecting the court system, collection of statistics to determine the workload for the District Courts of Appeal and Supreme Court, statistics related to civil and criminal filings, judge's compensation, suggestions for a standard set of instructions to juries and a juror's manual, and per diem jury fees.

The Attorney Suggestions file concerns the questions about the character and qualification of judges, suggestions to speed trial dates, expenses for the court system, suggestions for simplified appellate procedures, and appointment of court commissioners.

The Suggestions for Judges file pertains to replies to a questionnaire send to judges related to trial briefs, dilatory pleas, master calendars, demurrers, and reaction to recent legislation.

Specific Subject Files are as follows:

Alameda County. 1927-1929 (Box 7, folder 6)
Attorney Suggestions. 1927-1930 (Box 7, folder 7)
Constitutional Amendment Proposed. 1928 (Box 7, folder 8)
General - California, Judgements. 1927-1935 (Box 7, folders 9-10)
Judgment. 1928-1930 (Box 7, folder 11)
Judicial Council - State Senators and Assemblymen. 1930-1931 (Box 7, folder 12)
Juror's Manual. 1927-1934 (Box 7, folder 13)
Jury Fees. 1928 (Box 7, folder 14)
Jury Fees - County Clerk Replies. 1928 (Box 7, folder 15)
Jury Waivers. 1929-1938 (Box 7, folders 16-17)
Newspaper Articles. 1928-1935 (Box 7, folder 18)
"Our Judicial System" (lecture by Professor Grove Haines). 1929 (Box 7, folder 19)
Salaries and Expenses of Assigned Judges. 1927-1928 (Box 7, folder 20)
Statistics. 1928-1930 (Box 7, folder 21)
Suggestions for Judges. 1928-1930 (Box 7, folders 22-23)
Superior Court Judges. 1928 (Box 7, folder 24)
Superior Court Judges Compensation. 1927 (Box 7, folder 25)

ID R176.014, Box 8, folders 1 - 5

Series 14 Reports and Surveys 1927-1932

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year.

Scope and Content Note

Reports and surveys collected and created by the Judicial Council, including numerous reports on judicial administration.

Specific titles include:

"Judicial Council of California in Operation" (Harry A. Hollzer, September 1927)
"The Administration of Civil Justice" (1928)
"Rules Adopted by the Judicial Council Regulating the Business of the Superior Court" (1928)
"Suggested Changes in the Law Affected Jurisdiction over the Trial Courts submitted to Judicial Council" by Henry M. Willis (October 1928)
Synopses of Bills (1929)
"Jurisdiction of Trial Courts" by Henry M. Willis (January 1929)
"The Juvenile Court of Los Angeles" by Judge Robert Scott (June 1929)
"Tentative Amendments to the Rules Adopted for the Superior Courts" (October 1928)
"Report of the Judicial Council Committee on Inferior Court Procedures" (December 1932)
"The Judicial Council of California: Its Purpose and Work" by John Perry Wood of the Los Angeles Bar

ID R176.015, Box 8, folder 47 - Box 9, folder 30

Series 15 Hollzer Reports 1927-1933

Physical Description: 72 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of report. First folder includes indexes to numbered reports.

Scope and Content Note

Reports, agendas, surveys, studies, and similar files related to research topics investigated by Henry Hollzer in his role as the research director of the Judicial Council. Reports cover a broad range of topics that related to the operations and improvement of the Judicial Council and judicial system as well as surveys of conditions of judicial business. Reports pertain to such topics as: suggestions on proposed legislation, proposals to create additional appellate and county courts and judges, activities of the Judicial Council, probate practices, administrative details of trial calendars, court efficiency, proposed rules for governing courts, jurisdiction and procedures in inferior courts, reports on judicial business, comments on proposed Constitutional Amendments, concerns about juvenile courts, progress reports, recommendations on administration and improving judicial practices and procedures, general Appellate Court problems, analyses and criticism of superior court rules, and Judicial Council operations and organization. Also included are occasional agendas for Judicial Council meetings.

One of the charges of the Judicial Council was the improvement of administration of the judicial system. From 1926 through 1931 Hollzer served as the research director for the Judicial Council, conducting studies of procedural methods to improve the judicial system. During that time, Hollzer was a member of the Judicial Council as well as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. As research director, he travelled through the United States and parts of Canada gathering information about regulating procedures in the courts.

ID R176.016, Box 9, folder 31 - Box 11, folder 14

Series 16 Hollzer Background Files 1926-1937 bulk 1928-1934

Physical Description: 52 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject title.

Scope and Content Note

Background research files created by Harry A. Hollzer in his role as the research director for the Judicial Council. Much of the material was used in his research for the reports found in record series Hollzer Reports (R176.015). The subject matter covers a broad array of topics related to the creation and organization of the Judicial Council, operations of the local, Appellate, and Supreme Court systems, legislation affecting the court system, and recommendations for new methods of court administration. Hollzer contacted judges, attorneys, and Judicial Councils throughout California and the United States in investigating problems facing the courts. Some topics of research included: study of appellate court practices and procedures; legislative proposals affecting the Judicial Council and court systems, including reorganizing courts and the proposed abolishment of the Judicial Council; development of policies, procedures, and recommendations to increase the efficiencies and economies of the judicial system; proposed rules of the Judicial Council; and a review of procedures found throughout the country. Files contain correspondence, memoranda, newspaper clippings, reports and surveys, publications including newsletters, notes, tables of data and statistics, and similar records.

Notable files include:

Appellate Court Programs. 1932-1936. (Box 9, folder 31-34)
Appellate Practices. 1930-1937. (Box 9, folder 35)
County Clerk. 1923-1926. Includes Report of County Clerks and statistical data on county court cases. (Box 9, folder 38)
Court Calendar Plan. 1927-1932. Correspondence, suggestions, and memoranda related to Rules of Court 2 and 3, trial calendars, method that trial cases were set by judges, and new procedures for implementing court calendars. (Box 9, folder 41)
Discovery and Disclosure. 1930-1934. (Box 10, folder 2)
Impeachment of Judges. 1934-1935. (Box 10, folder 5)
Judicial Council - Measure to Abolish. 1932-1934. Newspaper articles, correspondence, and presentation concerning proposed reorganization of court systems through ACA113. (Box 10, folder 10)
Judicial Council - Meeting Minutes. 1928-1934, 1938, 1940. 3 file folders. Not inclusive. (Box 10, folders 11-13)
Municipal Courts. 1927-1932. (Box 10, folders 20-21)
Proposed Measures. 1928-1930, 1933. Reports outlining legislation recommended for adoption. (Box 10, folder 25-27)
Proposed Rules of Judicial Council. 1927-1928. Contains suggestions by Attorney General U.S. Webb on rules covering appeals in criminal cases. (Box 11, folder 1)
Township Courts, Committee on. 1930-1931. Newspaper articles, correspondence, and meeting notes concerning readjustment of township courts, amendments to legislation affecting township courts and the inferior court system. (Box 11, folder 12)
Trial Court Practices. 1930. Reports and correspondence concerning revision of Codes to deal with court problems such as crowded court calendars. (Box 11, folder 13)

ID R176.017, Box 11, folders 15 - 18

Series 17 Judicial Council Bulletins 1936-1939

Physical Description: 4 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged numerically by Bulletin Number.

Scope and Content Note

Monthly bulletins - distributed by the Secretary of the Judicial Council to the Judicial Council and judicial system in general - concerned "matters of general interest that came to the attention of Secretary during the previous month" (Bulletin 1). Topics covered included rules and adoption of rulings, legislation affecting the judicial system, appellate court planning, reprints of letters and publications, improving appellate and civil procedures, judges' retirement system, court room photography, statistics, and occasionally Judicial Council meeting minutes.

ID R176.018, Box 11, folder 19 - Box 12, folder 14

Series 18 Bulletin Background Files 1927-1940

Physical Description: 26 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject or topic.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, resolutions, surveys, newspaper articles, rules, reports, opinions, and similar records used as background material in researching topics for Bulletins created and distributed by the Judicial Council (see Series R175.017, Judicial Council Bulletins). Topics covered include the need for additional judges, study of inferior courts, death penalty and executions, juvenile court data, proposed rules for appeals, court room photography, court vacations, rulemaking powers, and concerns about trial calendars.

Specific file subjects include:

Appellate Reform. 1931-1940. (Box 11, folders 19-21)
Arbitration. 1927-1936. (Box 11, folder 22)
Chamber of Commerce. 1934-1939. (Box 11, folder 23)
Constitutional Amendments/Automobile Insurance/Expert Witness, 1927-1937. (Box 11, folder 24)
Courts. 1937-1938. (Box 11, folder 25)
Courts - Court Room Photography. 1931-1938. (Box 11, folder 26)
Courts - Written Opinions. 1935. (Box 11, folder 27)
Distribution of Court Reports. 1936-1940. (Box 11, folder 28)
Expense of Judges/Exchange Assignments. 1927-1936. (Box 11, folder 29)
Finance. 1931-1940. (Box 11, folder 30)
Historical Data. 1927-1940. (Box 12, folder 1)
Interstate Correspondence. 1933-1936. (Box 12, folder 2)
Judges/Jury Instructions. 1932. (Box 12, folder 3)
Judges Retirement/Court Vacations. 1935-1938. (Box 12, folder 4)
Juvenile Courts. 1936. (Box 12, folder 5)
Legislation. 1928-1940. (Box 12, folder 6)
Legislation/Criminal Statistics. 1928-1937. (Box 12, folder 7)
Los Angeles Judges. 1927. (Box 12, folder 8)
Penal Codes/Executive Clemency. 1935-1936. (Box 12, folder 9)
Publication of Decisions. 1934-1940. (Box 12, folder 10)
Secretary of State. 1932-1938. (Box 12, folder 11)
State Bar. 1929-1939. (Box 12, folders 12-13)
Various Topics. (Box 12, folder 14)

ID R176.019, Box 12, folder 15 - Box 16, folder 21

Series 19 Subject Files 1943-1961 bulk 1953-1959

Physical Description: 113 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by subject or topic.

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, resolutions, reports, surveys, questionnaires, handbooks, manuals, instructions, legislative bills, newspaper articles, and similar records related to a wide variety of topics and subjects of importance to Judicial Council. These general files were kept on such topics as: the elections of judges, juvenile justice, drafting of biennial reports, State Bar, study of grand juries, Law Revision Commission, Grand Jury handbooks, jury instructions, Penal Code revision (1945), traffic code and court, and similar topics. The file on Juvenile Justice (1949-1958) concerns legislation affecting the juvenile system, qualifications of juvenile court justices and referees, and a hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on Juvenile Courts. The Traffic Files (1948-1957) related to the Vehicle Code and violations of sections of the Vehicle Code, traffic court standards, study and comparison of bail schedules, plans for processing juvenile traffic citations, and traffic safety conferences.

ID R176.020, Box 16, folders 22 - 26

Series 20 Superior Court Summaries 1955-1956

Physical Description: 5 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by county.

Scope and Content Note

Monthly reports submitted by individual county Superior Courts contain statistical information such as the number of civil actions, probate and guardianship actions, divorce proceedings, appeals from lower courts, insanity cases, juvenile actions, and criminal proceedings.

ID R176.021, Box 16, folder 27 - Box 17, folder 15

Series 21 Court Annual Reports 1949-1955

Physical Description: 16 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of report, then alphabetically by county.

Scope and Content Note

Statistical reports submitted annually to the Judicial Council by various lower courts. Reports for the Fiscal Years ending June 30, 1949 and June 30, 1950 were submitted by Class B City and Police Courts and include such information as the number of criminal proceedings, including the number of each type of case. For the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 1955, reports were submitted by Justice Courts and contain similar information to the previously described reports.

ID R176.022, Box 17, folders 16 - 21

Series 22 Court Reports 1940-1946

Physical Description: 6 file folders

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by date of report.

Scope and Content Note

Reports collected and created by the Judicial Council. Reports include:

"The Children's Court of Conciliation" 1940. By the Los Angeles Superior Court.
"Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal: Fillings, Dispositions, Transfers, Hearings and Rehearings, Motions, Uncalendared Cases." 1940.
"Justice of the Peace Courts: General Detailed Information by Counties." 1941. Includes data on county court revenues and costs, number of each types of court, number of justices, and salaries.
"Data re Opinions by Justice Pro Tempore, District Courts of Appeal." 1946. Report notes annual number of opinions by each Appellate Court and by judge, covering the years 1926-1946.
"Uncalendared Appeals - Supreme Court and District Courts of Appeal" 1946. Covers years 1927-1946.
"Comments and Suggestions by Justices of the Peace, City and Police Judges." No Date. Contains comments mainly concern unifying of courts and judge's salaries.

Series Descriptions