Inland Empire Legislative Caucus secures state funding for new judgeships to expand access to justice

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The Inland Empire Caucus recently announced new state funding to expand judicial capacity in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

The Inland Empire Legislative Caucus (Inland Empire Caucus) recently announced that the 2026-27 state budget includes funding to begin expanding judicial capacity in California’s most under-resourced courts, including those serving the Inland Empire.

The budget provides $44 million annually to support the phased implementation of 13 new superior court judgeships and $100 million for related court facilities authorized by Chapter 482, Statutes of 2023.

The funding follows years of bipartisan advocacy by the Inland Empire legislative delegation, local governments, the Judicial Council and regional court leaders to address a shortage of judges that has contributed to higher caseloads and longer wait times for residents seeking access to the courts.

Earlier this year, the Inland Empire Caucus led a bipartisan budget request urging the Legislature to fund judgeships identified by the Judicial Council as the state’s highest priorities, with San Bernardino and Riverside counties ranking among those with the greatest need.

“For decades, the Inland Empire has struggled with a shortage of judges despite being one of California’s fastest-growing regions,” said Assemblymember Juan Carrillo, chair of the Inland Empire Legislative Caucus. “This budget represents real progress toward bringing our courts closer to the level of service our residents deserve. It reflects years of work by legislators from both parties, our local court leadership, counties and many others who refused to let this issue fall off the radar.”

“Our communities deserve a court system that is there when people need it most. I’m proud of the efforts of our caucus and our regional partners to keep this issue front and center and advocate for the resources our growing region needs. This funding is an important step toward improving access to justice for families across the Inland Empire,” said Assemblymember Greg Wallis, vice chair of the Inland Empire Legislative Caucus.

The Inland Empire serves nearly 5 million residents but continues to face some of the highest judicial workloads in California. The Judicial Council’s workload assessment identified San Bernardino and Riverside counties among the state’s highest priorities for additional judgeships based on documented need.

“This funding will help improve access to justice for residents throughout our region,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe. “As our communities have grown, the demands on our courts have grown with them. It was a privilege to advocate for this investment alongside our Inland Empire legislative delegation in Sacramento, and I’m grateful for their partnership and leadership in securing this funding for our region.”

“For years, San Bernardino County has faced one of the most significant judicial officer shortages in California, placing substantial demands on our courts and communities,” said Presiding Judge Rod Cortez. “The funding provided in this year’s budget is a meaningful investment that will expand access to justice, improve court services and reinforce public trust. We are grateful to the governor and Legislature for recognizing these needs and for their continued support of the judicial branch and the residents of San Bernardino County.”

While this funding does not fully address California’s judicial shortage, it represents an important investment in improving court access for Inland Empire residents and provides the first funding to begin implementing judgeships authorized by the Legislature in 2023.

Additional County Update News – July 23, 2026