LACBA hosts complex courts symposium

The Los Angeles County Bar Association hosted the 2024 California Complex Courts Symposium on Tuesday at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles.

The event saw Superior Court Presiding Judge Samantha P. Jessner outline the court's efficiency measures designed to address state budget shortfalls and growing caseloads, including the establishment of a new pilot pathway for unlimited civil personal injury (motor vehicle) cases. Jessner said that "filings in civil had skyrocketed in recent years," at the same time as "many judges have retired from the bench, especially from the civil division."

"We will continue to dedicate ourselves to finding more efficient ways to handling cases, especially similar cases," Jessner said. "We will look forward to working collaboratively with the bar as well all do more with less over the next several years."

The event saw judges from state courts throughout California address panel events covering topics including class actions and mass torts, wage and hour actions, and lessons learned from the asbestos docket. It also saw recently appointed complex court judges address the issues of remote hearings and courtroom civility.