What We Do
We provide the general public with information and educational materials and activities on the California Civil Grand Jury system that will help increase public awareness of the valuable role the civil grand jury plays in our democratic system of government.
We provide comprehensive training on all subjects relative to empaneled civil grand juries available to all 58 counties within California including civil grand jury training as well as specific workshops on key topics relevant to civil grand jury service.
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Find valuable information on these subjects
Civil Grand Jury Resources
Here you can find sample documents, templates, examples of well-written reports, links to local government resources,
and FAQs.
Our Annual Conference
Every year in the fall, CGJA holds an Annual Conference and Membership Meeting to provide an opportunity for members and civil grand jurors to meet and discuss experiences and hear from speakers and panels on relevant topics of interest.
Chapter Resources
Includes chapter resource documents, suggested activities for chapters, guidance for forming a chapter along with templates.
Get Involved
Join CGJA as an active member, volunteer for CGJA, become a civil grand juror, join a chapter, or support us through a tax deductible donation.
Grand Jurors' Journal
This bimonthly journal is a major source of information about the civil grand jury system and recent updates on CGJA activities of interest to our members.
CGJA and California's Civil Grand Jury System
Learn about CGJA and details about California’s unique system of civil grand juries.
Our Awards
Annual awards recognizing civil grand jury reporting and media coverage along with the Angelo Rolando Service Award.
We can help you become
an effective civil grand juror
CGJA conducts training seminars for civil grand jurors and alternates on their various civil functions. These seminars include twelve full hours of presentations and over 300 pages of training materials. Experienced and highly qualified trainers who have served as civil grand jurors or grand jury legal advisors present these programs locally, throughout the state as “onsite” seminars or via Zoom if Covid-19 restrictions exist.
We also conduct Foreperson and Pro Tem Workshops, Legal Advisors’ Workshops, and Report Writing Workshops.
Stay Updated with Civil Grand Jury News
Stanislaus County Grand Jury Report
www.turlockjournal.com
StanCOG’s corruption saga staggered on with this week’s revelation that secret, unapproved vacation cashouts by three top employees cost county taxpayers more than $595,000 in less than five years...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Tulare County Grand Jury Report-Food Court Issues-County Response
Tulare County Supervisors respond to grand jury food cart concerns
www.visaliatimesdelta.com
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved the responses recommended by county staff to the new grand jury report.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Grand Jury finds dysfunction continuing in Tehama County
Grand jury again recommends, mediation for Kain and Hydrick
www.chicoer.com/2026/06/27/grand-jury-finds-dysfunction-continuing-in-tehama-county/
(Note: this article lies behind a ‘pay-wall’, and requires a subscription to the providing media service in order to access)
Chico Enterprise-Record, by Heather Taylor, June 27, 2026
For the second consecutive year, the Tehama County Grand Jury has recommended that Tehama County Chief Administrator Gabriel Hydrick and Sheriff Dave Kain meet with an outside mediator to resolve differences between the Sheriff and the two men. (Rick Silva/Daily News)
While the Tehama County Grand Jury’s 2025/2026 report issued critical findings against the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Dave Kain, they have not created an accusation for removal, as the previous Grand Jury did against former county Supervisor Pati Nolen. The jury also stated dysfunction identified in last year’s report is an ongoing issue within the county. In their report, the Grand Jury identified the sheriff serves in an elected position, and removal can only occur by a recall, or following recommendation from the Grand Jury, followed by court action. Tehama County District Attorney Matt Rogers confirmed on Thursday,
Grand Jury finds dysfunction continuing in Tehama County
www.chicoer.com
While the Tehama County Grand Jury’s 2025/2026 report issued critical findings against the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Dave Kain, they have not created an accusation for removal, as...1 CommentsComment on Facebook
CGJA 0Santa Clara County – 2026 July- Brown Act Weaponization
www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/11/cupertinos-teleconferencing-rules-may-violate-meeting-transparency...
Cupertino’s teleconferencing rules may violate meeting transparency laws
Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report warns of weaponization of Brown Act
Courtesy photo
A new report by Santa Clara County's civil grand jury critiques Cupertino's rule on teleconferencing and the controversy stemming from Councilmember Ray Wang. pictured, repeatedly attending meetings remotely.
Bay Area News Group
By NOLLYANNE DELACRUZ | ndelacruz@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: June 11, 2026 at 6:45 AM PDT | UPDATED: June 11, 2026 at 10:08 AM PDT
The Cupertino City Council may have violated California’s open meeting law by allowing one of its members to teleconference during public meetings, according to the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury.
“Cupertino’s current approach undermines public access, is inconsistent with the statutory framework of the Brown Act, and places the convenience of the teleconferencing councilmember above the rights of the public,” stated a civil grand jury report released last month.
The Brown Act allows city councilmembers to use teleconferencing, but that participation is subject to specific statutory safeguards intended to preserve the public’s right to observe and participate in meetings of elected officials.
The civil grand jury report specifically critiques Cupertino’s rule on teleconferencing and the controversy stemming from Councilmember Ray Wang’s repeatedly attending meetings remotely. According to the report, Wang travels regularly for personal business. In 2025, teleconferencing was used at 14 regular or special Cupertino City Council meetings, accounting for one-third of all city council meetings last year.
The report noted that in Cupertino, if a teleconferencing councilmember must leave a meeting due to a scheduling conflict, technical issues or for any other reason, the city council meeting must end. This happened at least three times in 2025. Twice, a meeting ended because Wang had to catch a plane. The third instance occurred on Dec. 2, 2025, when Wang terminated his connection during a study session on a housing project.
According to the report, Wang objected to voting to appoint negotiators, arguing that the agenda did not clearly notify the public that a vote would occur, which would be a Brown Act violation. The law states that a publicly elected body cannot make decisions on issues that aren’t properly noticed to the public.
The Brown Act doesn’t specify rules for adjourning a meeting, said David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition. However, the Brown Act does state that the public should be able to participate from the remote location where an elected official is logged into a meeting. So when Wang left the meeting, it forced the meeting to end because it prevented the public from participating from his location.
Wang subsequently apologized for leaving the meeting, saying that his laptop battery had died and he was unable to find a working outlet, rendering him unable to log back in to the meeting.
The civil grand jury also expressed concern about Cupertino’s rules for listing the location of the teleconferencing council member. According to the Brown Act, the city must list the location from which they are participating on the agenda and make sure it is publicly accessible. However, the city has repeatedly listed incomplete locations or places that may not be publicly accessible, like private hotel rooms and airport terminals.
“Requiring a member of the public to go to a council member’s private room is not in keeping with the spirit of the Brown Act,” the report stated. “Further, if the hotel requires the guests to use room keys to access the elevator, as many do, private rooms are not accessible to the public as required by the Brown Act.”
Loy said it could be “a pretty serious Brown Act problem” if a city council member regularly participates remotely in council meetings while they’re traveling on personal business.
“Part of holding elected office is being accountable and responsive to the people,” Loy said. “It’s about the basic requirements of holding office. Are you prepared to put the people first and be accountable and responsive and prioritize your service to the people that elected you?”
The report noted that Cupertino’s interpretation of open meeting law could allow cities to weaponize the Brown Act, intentionally or not. According to the Brown Act’s teleconferencing provisions, a quorum must be physically present in the city when teleconferencing is used.
However, the civil grand jury argued that allowing meetings to end if a teleconferencing council member leaves creates “a non-statutory condition for the continuation of a meeting” and can unlawfully curtail public comment, interrupt deliberation on agendized items, force delays in city business and undermine the transparency and openness required by the Brown Act.
“This practice elevates the convenience of the teleconferencing member over the public’s right to transparency and participation,” the report states. “It also creates a mechanism by which a member can intentionally halt discussion, block votes or disrupt the public’s business.”
To address this, Cupertino has implemented a requirement that members of the public who want to speak from a teleconferencing location provide at least five hours’ advance notice. However, the civil grand jury criticized this move because those who want to speak at a city council meeting can simply show up to council chambers.
The report recommended that teleconferencing by council members only be permitted from locations that are genuinely publicly accessible, and that the city revoke its requirement that public meetings must end when a teleconferencing council member leaves and shift accountability to maintain public meeting compliance onto the teleconferencing council member.
This isn’t the first time the county has scrutinized Cupertino City Hall. In 2022, the civil grand jury found evidence of mutual distrust between Cupertino City Council members and city staff, which led to a long line of resignations and fill-ins in the city manager’s position.
Cupertino’s teleconferencing rules may violate meeting transparency laws
www.mercurynews.com
A new Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report warns that Cupertino’s rules regarding teleconferencing during public meetings could lead to weaponization of California’s open meeting law.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Oakland's approach to illegal dumping 'abysmal,' Alamdeda County Civil Grand jury says
www.ktvu.com/news/oaklands-approach-illegal-dumping-abysmal-civil-grand-jury-says
Updated June 17, 2026 7:23 AM PDT Published June 16, 2026 8:24 PM PDT
Oaklands illegal-dumping enforcement abysmal, civil grand jury says
The city of Oakland is falling far short in its effort to crack down on illegal dumping, according to a new report by the Alameda County civil grand jury.
The Brief
• Oakland's handling of illegal dumping "inadequate and abysmal," Alameda County civil grand jury says in report
• City not doing enough to tell citizens about free bulky waste pickup, panel says
• Oakland has 90 days to respond to report's recommendations
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland is failing in its efforts to tackle illegal dumping, according to the Alameda County civil grand jury. "The problem has grown over the last 10, 11 years," said Rick Smith, who served as the panel's foreperson over the past year.
Amount of trash in city has multiplied over past decade
By the numbers:
"There was about 3.2 million pounds of trash being collected back in 2015, that number is now 20 million pounds," Smith said.
The civil grand jury issued a report this week blasting Oakland's response to the longstanding problem. It says Oakland spent about $25 million on cleanup efforts but that the city's illegal dumping enforcement has been "inadequate and abysmal."
Panel lists recommendations for city
What they're saying:
The panel says the city needs to write more citations and remove restrictions that bar Oakland police from sharing license plate reader data to go after illegal dumpers. The grand jury also said the city needs to designate a point person to handle all illegal-dumping issues.
"The purpose of the report was to identify places within city government where we thought maybe there was the left hand not working well with the right hand," said Casey Bates, an Alameda County assistant district attorney who serves as advisor to the civil grand jury.
KTVU saw these piles of trash Tuesday near 21st Avenue and Foothill Boulevard in the city's San Antonio neighborhood.
Nearby, there were three large bins for recycling and green waste, but a much smaller one for regular trash.
Just last week, the city announced it's getting $9 million from San Francisco foundation Crankstart to help tackle illegal dumping. Some of the money will be used for a pilot program to boost the size of trash bins for free. The grand jury says many residents are choosing smaller trash bins to save money. "As you might surmise, is that larger trash bins would - could be part of the solution," Smith said.
Mayor responds
Local perspective:
In a statement Tuesday, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in part, "I will continue fighting for cleaner neighborhoods, stronger accountability, and a city government built to deliver for Oakland."
One resident, who wanted to be identified only as "J" while working in a front yard, hopes the city delivers on its promise soon. "Every time I have to see it, it's like, well it's been there for years now, so no one else wants to deal with it," J said.
Henry Lee is a KTVU reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on X @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan
www.facebook.com
Crime reporter at KTVU Fox 2. SF Chronicle & Daily Californian alum. Author of "Presumed Dead: A True Life Murder Mystery. Featured on Netflix’s “American Nightmare.”0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Humboldt Civil Grand Jury reports years of avoided rate hikes leave Humboldt water systems at risk.
www.times-standard.com/2026/06/29/flowing-forward-civil-grand-jury-reports-years-of-avoided-rate-...
Flowing Forward: Civil Grand Jury reports years of avoided rate hikes leave Humboldt water systems at risk.
Times Standard
By MARANDA VARGAS | mvargas@times-standard.com
PUBLISHED: June 29, 2026 at 1:20 PM PDT
(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Humboldt County’s Civil Grand Jury says communities should expect water and sewer bills to keep rising, not because agencies are mismanaging funds, but because decades of deferred maintenance and shrinking federal support have left systems strained and increasingly vulnerable.
The Grand Jury interviewed people with firsthand knowledge of local water and was…
(Note: this article lies behind a ‘pay-wall,’ and requires a subscription to the providing media service to access)
www.times-standard.com
Humboldt County’s Civil Grand Jury says communities should expect water and sewer bills to keep rising, not because agencies are mismanaging funds, but because decades of deferred maintenance and sh...0 CommentsComment on Facebook
CGJA Journal
This bimonthly journal is a major source of information about the civil grand jury system and recent updates on CGJA activities of interest to our members.
The Gift of Your Time
is Priceless
CGJA is an all-volunteer membership organization. We succeed mainly because our members volunteer to serve on our committees and/or train civil grand jurors. Serving on committees almost never requires travel as we communicate via email and computer video. Our trainers do travel to venues throughout the state and we reimburse them for lodging, mileage, and a modest per diem for other expenses.
