February 23, 2026 - SAN FRANCISCO - By Blaine Corren - Judicial Council members at their February 20 business received a report showing that litigants and court staff who took part in remote appearances in civil and criminal proceedings had an overwhelmingly positive experience.
Report Shows Strong Support for Remote Court Proceedings: The council received a report showing that litigants and court staff who took part in remote appearances in civil and criminal proceedings had an overwhelmingly positive experience. Based on user responses between September 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025, approximately 90% of court users and 98% of court staff reported a positive experience. The council also heard firsthand from San Diego County Judge Lisa Rodriguez, Dependency Legal Services Policy Director/Lead Attorney Julia Hanagan, and other council members on their experiences with remote proceedings and the benefits this option provides court users and staff. Watch archived webcast of this portion of the meeting
The council collects data regarding overall user experience from California trial courts that use the Zoom remote technology platform. Between September 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025, the council collected 44,526 user responses—44% from court users and 56% from court workers.
Respondents reported their experiences using the remote technology:
- Approximately 90% of court users and 98% of court staff reported a positive experience
- Only 1.7% of total respondents reported experiencing an audio technical issue
- Just 0.9% of total respondents reported experiencing a visual technical issue
The complete council meeting agenda and council reports are posted to the California Courts Meeting Information Center. A link to a live webcast of the meeting will be on the California Courts website on the day of the meeting.
Source: CA. Courts
