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San Joaquin Court Announces Appointment of New Presiding Judge Hon. Judge Lance G. Jacot and Assistant Presiding Hon. Judge Jayne Chong-Soon Lee

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Stockton, CA — The San Joaquin County Superior Court is pleased to announce Hon. Judge Lance G. Jacot has been selected as the new Presiding Judge, effective January 1, 2026. Judge Jacot replaces outgoing Presiding Judge Gus Barrera II, whose leadership and service to the court are gratefully acknowledged.

Judge Jacot most recently served as Assistant Presiding Judge during the 2024–2025 term, providing continuity and institutional knowledge as he assumes his new role. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Gavin Newsom in December 2019.

Prior to his judicial appointment, Judge Jacot built a distinguished legal career dedicated to public service. He served as a Deputy Public Defender with the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office from 1999 to 2010, and again from 2019 until his appointment to the bench. From 2010 to 2019, Judge Jacot practiced as a sole practitioner, gaining broad experience in criminal defense and courtroom advocacy.

Judge Jacot earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Presiding Judge Jacot along with the assistance of Court Executive Officer, Stephanie Bohrer will oversee the administration of the court, working closely with judicial officers and staff to ensure the fair, efficient, and accessible delivery of justice to the San Joaquin County community.

Judge Jayne Chong-Soon Lee has been named the new Assistant Presiding Judge. Appointed to the San Joaquin County Superior Court in December 2019, she currently serves as Supervising Judge for the Civil Division.

Prior to her appointment, Judge Lee served as a court commissioner, judge pro tem, and supervising probate attorney for the San Joaquin County Superior Court. Her earlier experience includes serving as a legal research attorney with the Alameda County Superior Court, Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, and an adjunct professor and lecturer at Golden Gate University School of Law and Stanford Law School.

San Joaquin Court Announces Appointment of New Presiding Judge Hon. Judge Lance G. Jacot and Assistant Presiding Hon. Judge Jayne Chong-Soon Lee Download

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Office of Traffic Safety Awards $269,000 Grant to San Joaquin Superior Court for Dedicated Impaired Driving Court Program

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Stockton, CA — The Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin is pleased to announce it has been awarded a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support its DUI Court Program. The grant supports program operations from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, with the goal of reducing the number of individuals injured or killed in alcohol-related collisions in San Joaquin County.

The San Joaquin DUI Court Program began in 2008 and targets all repeat DUI offenders in Stockton. The program includes a treatment track designed for offenders with substance dependence or addiction, focusing on providing substance abuse treatment in conjunction with continuous alcohol monitoring, drug testing, and regular court appearances. Additionally, the program will continue to expand a new monitoring track focused on monitoring and regular court appearances for repeat offenders who are assessed as not having a dependence or addiction problem.

This grant will allow the San Joaquin DUI Court Program to enhance its established program by focusing on strengthening its two-tier system and capacity building. It will fund two full-time case managers who will support both the Court and community. Case managers assist in improving offender accountability, increasing court appearance rates, and enhancing retention and successful completion.

The grant will also support the Choices and Consequences school outreach program, which educates middle and high school students on the dangers of driving while under the influence. The Court initially implemented the virtual format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the virtual option has been maintained for the convenience of participating schools and to expand outreach to additional students. The Court expects to reach several hundred students during the grant period.

DUI Court partners with healthcare treatment providers, social services, and other community-based organizations to develop an effective course of treatment for participants through a combination of judicial supervision and other supportive services.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Office of Traffic Safety Awards $269,000 Grant to San Joaquin Superior Court for Dedicated Impaired Driving Court ProgramDownload

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NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY, November 22, 2025, 9:30 a.m., Stockton Courthouse

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Stockton, CA — On Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., the Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, will host the court’s 26th Adoption Day with San Joaquin County Human Services Agency, Wayfinder Family Services, Project Linus, Main Street Youth & Family Services, Environmental Alternatives Family Services, Triad Family Services, Family Extension Foster Care & Adoption, Aspiranet, Koinoina, and New Dimensions. This year’s event will celebrate and finalize adoptions for 28 children by 17 families.

This event will be presided over by Judges Michael Mulvihill, Gurjit Srai, and Danielle Ramirez. Judge Mulvihill will begin with a brief welcome and introduction. 

Upon reflection of this eventful day, Judge Mulvihill said, “On behalf of the San Joaquin County Superior Court, we congratulate all of the families participating in National Adoption Day. Every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Adoption Saturday focuses on children waiting to be adopted and on the families who have opened their homes to adopt them.  It is truly an honor and a privilege for our judges and staff to preside over these proceedings. There is nothing more important in this world than family, and we truly thank all of the adoptive parents who have stepped forward and made a commitment to these children to give them their forever home.  We wish them all a lifetime of love and happiness.”

Volunteers from the court and agencies participate in this special day by working together to celebrate the joys of adoption and encourage more families and individuals to give children permanent families through adoption.

National Adoption Day has been celebrated across the nation for the last 27 years on the  Saturday before Thanksgiving to raise awareness of the more than 108,000 children and youth in foster care waiting to find a permanent and loving family. Over the past years, the nationwide collective effort of judges, lawyers, court staff, foster professionals, child advocates, sheriff personnel, and many others has made the dreams of over 90,000 children and youth come true by working on this special day to finalize adoptions for children and youth in foster care.

For your convenience, here is information regarding the event:

  • Event begins at 9:30 a.m., Jury Assembly Room 12th floor
  • Court Opens to the families at 8:30 a.m.
  • Stockton Courthouse-180 E. Weber Ave., Stockton ,CA
  • Members of the public and press are invited to attend court in person. Press interested in recording court proceedings via TV camera and recorder, still camera, and/or audio must complete the required paperwork. Please send requests to mediarequest@sjcourts.org.
National Adoption Day November 22, 2025, 9:30 a.m. Stockton CourthouseDownload

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COURT CYBER INCIDENT

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STOCKTON, CA – The Superior Court of California for the County of San Joaquin (the “Superior Court”) has completed an investigation of unauthorized activity  involving its computer network. Upon learning of the unauthorized activity, the Superior Court took immediate action to contain the incident and began an investigation with the assistance of a cybersecurity firm that has assisted other organizations in similar situations and reported the incident to law enforcement. The investigation determined that an unauthorized person gained access to some Superior Court systems between October 25 and October 30, 2024, and acquired copies of certain files.

The Superior Court searched and reviewed the files that were involved, which took a substantial amount of time and effort, and determined that the files involved contained individuals’ names with one or more of the following: Social Security number, driver’s license or California identification card number, tax identification numbers, passport number, military identification number, account number or credit or debit card number, medical information, and/or health insurance information.

The Superior Court reminds individuals that it is always a good idea to be vigilant for incidents of fraud or identity theft by reviewing account statements and free credit reports for any unauthorized activity. The Superior Court is offering one year of complimentary identity protection services to individuals whose information was involved.

The Superior Court is offering complimentary one-year membership in identity protection and credit monitoring services to individuals whose personal information may have been involved. If you believe your personal information may have been involved in this incident and you are interested in enrolling in the services, please visit https://www.sjcourts.org/ cybersecurity-incident/ and follow the steps enroll.

The Superior Court has established a dedicated, toll-free call center to answer questions that individuals may have about the incident, (844) 354-1371, available Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, excluding major U.S. holidays.

To help prevent something like this from happening again, the Superior Court has taken, and will continue to take, steps to enhance the security of its computer network.

Court Cyber IncidentDownload

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SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 PROPOSED BUDGET 

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Pursuant to Government Code section 68511.7, the Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, is providing the public with notice and opportunity for comment prior to adoption of the trial court’s Proposed Baseline Budget Plan for Fiscal Year 2025-26.

The Court will accept written comments on the Proposed Baseline Budget Plan (attached) through 5 p.m. on Friday, October 17, 2025.  Per Government Code section 68511.7(d), the Court is not obligated to provide responses to the comments received. Please submit your comments  electronically to eochoa@sjcourts.org or by mail to:

Erica A Ochoa
Assistant Court Executive Officer
180 E. Weber Ave., Ste. 1306E
Stockton, CA 95202

The proposed budget will be adopted by the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court five (5) business days following the posting of this notice.

San Joaquin County Superior Court seeks Public Comment Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Proposed BudgetDownload

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Notice: Receipt of Annual Allocation of the Trial Court Budget After Enactment of the Budget Act of 2025

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The Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin is in receipt of the annual allocation of the 2025-2026 trial court budget from the Judicial Council of California following the enactment of the Budget Act of 2025.
California Rule of Court 10.620(f) requires trial courts to provide notice no later than 15 court days after “receipt of the annual allocation of the trial court budget from the Judicial Council after enactment of the Budget Act.” The Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee’s reports to the council provide helpful discussion and detail behind the allocations and can be viewed by following the links below on the California Courts website:

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Receipt of Annual Allocation of the Trial Court Budget After Enactment of the Budget Act of 2025Download

Notice of Public Hearing Scheduled for August 4, 2025

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The Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin will hold a public meeting at the location, date, and time stated below, for the purpose of considering the adoption of the attached Resolution to request permission to conduct an election among eligible members of the retirement system to determine if they personally want Social Security coverage:

Location: 180 E Weber Avenue, Stockton, CA 95202—Department 3D

Date: Monday, August 4, 2025

Time: 12:00 P.M.

Attached is the meeting agenda. Public comment is accepted for this meeting. Written comment sent to the above address, attention Michael Green, Human Resources Manager Suite 1301 A, and received no later than 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025, will be distributed at the meeting. A request to provide oral comment at the meeting must be received by 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025, and must include the speaker’s name, occupation, and (if applicable) the name of the entity that the speaker represents; and the speaker’s contact information (email address, telephone number, and mailing address). Time is reserved for public comment at the beginning of the meeting and the amount of time allocated for each speaker shall not exceed five minutes.

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Notice of Public Hearing Scheduled for August 4, 2025Download

2024-2025 SAN JOAQUIN CIVIL GRAND JURY RELEASES FINAL CONSOLIDATED REPORT AND SELECTION OF THE 2025-2026 CIVIL GRAND JURY

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Stockton, CA — Today, June 27, 2025, the 2024-2025 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury released its final consolidated report. The final consolidated report contains investigative reports, findings, and recommendations developed in the 2024-2025 term. Civil grand jurors examine and investigate local governmental activities within San Joaquin County. The responsibilities of the civil grand jury encompass the examination of all aspects of county government, including school and special assessment districts, to ensure that the county is being governed lawfully, efficiently, and that public monies are being handled appropriately. The grand jury may conduct investigations of public agencies and the administration and affairs of any city within the county.

Hon. George J. Abdallah, Jr., Supervising Judge of the San Joaquin County Grand Juries, commented on the 2024-2025 Civil Grand Jury’s work, saying, “As the Grand Jury Advisor and Supervisor, it has been my privilege to review the work of the 2024-2025 Grand Jury. The Grand Jurors received well-considered advice from their highly experienced advisors, County Counsel Ms. Kimberly Johnson, the Assistant District Attorney Mr. Richard Price, and the invaluable assistance of the Superior Court administrators. The Grand Jury Final Report educates the public through well-written accounts of the work, findings, and recommendations of these devoted citizens. To each member of the 2024-2025 San Joaquin County Grand Jury, for your many accomplishments, the Superior Court extends its congratulations and gratitude.”

Today also marks the day the members of the 2025-2026 Civil Grand Jury will be selected and sworn in. The selection and swearing in will take place in Department 3D at 3:00 p.m. The Civil Grand Jury is comprised of 19 citizens who are impaneled annually for a one-year term. The 2025-2026 term begins July 1, 2025.

The public is encouraged to read the final consolidated report by visiting the Grand Jury’s website.

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2024-1015 San Joaquin Civil Grand Jury releases Final Consolidated Report and Selection of the 2025-2026 Civil Grand JuryDownload

2024-2025 SAN JOAQUIN CIVIL GRAND JURY RELEASES REPORT ON WASTEWATER INEFFICIENCY IN LINNE ESTATES

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Stockton, CA —  Today, the 2024-2025 San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury (Grand Jury) released its report investigating wastewater inefficiency in Linne Estates, a community in unincorporated San Joaquin County. It is situated outside the City of Tracy and is not serviced by the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP); and therefore, an independent WWTP was constructed by the developer to serve this area. The complaint from a homeowner in the Linne Estates, which was received late in the 2023-2024 term, was forwarded to the current Grand  Jury for investigation. 

The complaint alleged that the San Joaquin County Department of Public Works (DPW) mismanaged the operation of the independent WWTP resulting in continued rate hikes. In 2020, the homeowners received a letter from the county indicating that the CSA 44 Zone G fund had a deficit of $411,000. The county informed homeowners that a significant rate increase would eliminate the deficit over five years, and they agreed, but it continues to rise. They were in regular contact with the DPW but remained frustrated because the deficit continued to grow due to high maintenance and operational costs. The homeowners reported concern about an impending sewer rate increase set to begin in fiscal year 2025-2026.

The San Joaquin County Civil Grand Jury conducted a comprehensive investigation into the matter by researching public documents and interviewing homeowners, employees from DPW, staff from the City of Tracy, and elected officials from San Joaquin County. Additionally,  Civil Grand Jury members toured the WWTPs.

The 2024-2025 Civil Grand Jury did not find any evidence of mismanagement; rather, it determined that the rate hikes resulted from operational and design inefficiencies. Over the past 20 years, homeowners’ sewer rates for maintaining and operating the WWTP have consistently increased. Despite these rising sewer rates, there remains a funding deficit from previous repairs, which homeowners attribute to the County approving a poorly designed WWTP. 

The Grand Jury made several recommendations to resolve operational and design inefficiencies. The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors (BOS) should  consider consolidating the two smaller WWTPs into a single, more efficient facility, create a plan to replace or upgrade the facilities, create a plan with current and projected discharge requirements to reduce operating costs, and assess the feasibility of establishing a satellite office to serve the south county

The Grand Jury encourages the public to review the full findings and recommendations in the complete report.  The report is available for viewing on the Grand Jury’s website.

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2024-2025 San Joaquin Civil Grand Jury Releases Report on Wastewater Inefficiency in Linne EstatesDownload

GOVERNOR APPOINTS ADAM RAMIREZ TO THE SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT BENCH

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STOCKTON— On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Adam Ramirez to serve as judge on the San Joaquin County Superior Court bench.  Judge Ramirez fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jose L. Alva in September 2023.

Judge Ramirez brings nearly two decades of legal experience to his new role. He has served as a Shareholder at Hakeem, Ellis, Marengo & Ramirez since 2023, following a 14-year tenure as an Associate. Judge Ramirez has been an Adjunct Professor at Humphreys University Drivon School of Law, since 2019. Earlier in his career, he served as an Attorney at the Family Law Service Center and the Law Office of Christopher K. Eley.

Judge Ramirez earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Humphreys University Drivon School of Law.

“We are extremely excited about the appointment of Adam Ramirez to the San Joaquin County Superior Court.  Adam brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the areas  of family and civil law that will be a great benefit to the litigants who appear before him.  We are grateful for this appointment as we have a number of upcoming retirements. Thank you to Governor Newsom and Judicial Appointment Secretary Cespedes for addressing San Joaquin County judicial needs,” said Presiding Judge Gus C. Barrera.

In response to his appointment, Judge Ramirez stated, “It is an honor to be selected by Governor Newsom to serve the people of San Joaquin County as a judge. I look forward to working with the San Joaquin Bench: our county has some of the best judicial officers  in the state, and I am deeply humbled to stand among them.”

The Court welcomes Judge Ramirez and looks forward to the experience, dedication, and leadership he brings to the people of San Joaquin County. A formal swearing-in ceremony has yet to be scheduled.

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Governor Appoints Adam Ramirez to the San Joaquin County Superior Court BenchDownload