In this episode of Policy Chats, former Chief Justice of California Tani Cantil Sakauye joins hosts Dori Pham and Jaz William for a wide ranging conversation on how courts can strengthen a thriving, prosperous, and abundant society.

Chief Justice Cantil Sakauye breaks down how California’s judiciary is structured across 58 counties, explaining the distinct roles of the trial courts, Courts of Appeal, and the California Supreme Court. She also demystifies the Judicial Council, the constitutional policymaking body that sets statewide rules and guidance that shape everything from jury service to courtroom procedure.

A major focus of the discussion is access to justice. She reflects on key initiatives from her tenure, including expanding language access across California courts, increasing interpreter services, and strengthening self help resources so that individuals without attorneys can navigate court processes more safely and effectively. She also discusses efforts to address the burden of fines and fees, including ability to pay approaches and traffic ticket relief programs.

The conversation then turns to governance under constraint. She shares how judicial leaders approached statewide budget cuts by using shared frameworks and collective decision making across counties to protect core services and maintain public trust, while allowing local courts flexibility in implementation.

Finally, she offers an inside look at the judiciary’s response to the COVID 19 pandemic. With no playbook available, she describes how emergency orders, remote proceedings, and public health safeguards were developed under intense pressure, and how constitutional rights remained the guiding framework. She closes with lessons on crisis leadership, emphasizing the importance of listening, bringing down the temperature in conflict, and engaging broad perspectives, plus advice for students interested in law, public service, and community leadership.

Topics Covered

• How California’s court system is structured across trial courts, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court

• What the Chief Justice does and how the Judicial Council makes statewide court policy

• Expanding access to justice through language services and self help support

• Addressing fines and fees and improving court affordability

• How statewide budgeting decisions are made across 58 counties

• Leading through COVID 19 with emergency orders, remote hearings, and public health safeguards

• Lessons on listening, de escalation, and leadership in conflict

• Career paths in law, public policy, and public service, including the continued need for the human element in justice

This episode is produced by the UCR School of Public Policy and reflects our mission of creating solutions that improve lives locally and globally.

📍 This episode is produced by the UCR School of Public Policy and reflects our mission of creating solutions that improve lives locally and globally.

🎧 Guest Speaker: Clarissa Cervantes, Riverside City Councilmember

Interviewed by: Dori Pham host of Policy Chats and Sammie Burgess

🎵 Music by Vir Sinha

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