Existing law provides that 16 subordinate judicial officer positions in eligible superior courts, as determined by the Judicial Council, shall be converted to judgeships. Beginning in the 2010–11 fiscal year, and upon subsequent authorization by the Legislature, 146 subordinate judicial officer positions in eligible superior courts, as determined by the Judicial Council, shall be converted to judgeships, upon the occurrence of specified conditions, including that the proposed action is ratified by the Legislature, either in the annual Budget Act or another legislative measure, except that no more than 16 positions may be converted to judgeships in any fiscal year. Notwithstanding these provisions, up to 10 additional subordinate judicial officer positions in eligible superior courts may be converted to judgeships in any fiscal year, commencing with the 2010–11 fiscal year. Each additional position may be converted to a judgeship only if the conversions will result in a judge being assigned to a family law or juvenile law assignment previously presided over by a subordinate judicial officer. Legislative ratification is required by statutory enactment other than the annual Budget Act for the conversion of the 10 additional subordinate judicial officer positions.

This bill would ratify the authority of the Judicial Council to convert 10 subordinate judicial officer positions to judgeships in the 2011–12 fiscal year where the conversion will result in a judge being assigned to a family law or juvenile law assignment previously presided over by a subordinate judicial officer, pursuant to these provisions.