CA Appellate #MeToo

Today's lead story in the DJ is: Employees push for review of state court harassment policy

More than 100 appellate court employees have signed a petition asking the Judicial Council to establish a working group to review and revise sexual harassment policies at the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeal to address concerns the courts cannot properly investigate claims of judicial misconduct.

"Seventy three employees from the 2nd District and 28 employees from the 1st District Court of Appeal signed the petition while the remaining four districts accounted for 20 of the signatures, which number 121 overall."

"Each district has its own sexual harassment policies, but they are “fairly consistent,” according to 1st District Court of Appeal Administrative Presiding Justice Jim Humes, who said he thinks he signed the petition.“We believe a central system external to each district would allow employees’ complaints to be evaluated by a neutral individual without forcing employees to report directly to their supervisor or supervisor’s colleague,” the petition states."