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.
What Are You
Looking For?
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
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.
Making Local Government More Efficient and Effective
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SANDAG oversight group pushes back on critical grand jury report
Inewsource, February 19, 2025
By Daniel Potter, a San Diego Documenters editor
The group tasked with overseeing the work of the San Diego Association of Governments, or SANDAG, is pushing back on some of the findings highlighted in a critical report released by the San Diego County grand jury.
That report flagged what it considered to be problems within the Office of Independent Performance Auditor, or OIPA, including being habitually understaffed, lacking independent legal representation and having a lack of transparency.
The internal auditors said that while they partially agree with some of the grand jury’s findings, they strongly disagreed with other criticisms and said actions have already been taken to remedy most of the issues.
Independent Performance Auditor Courtney Ruby said that while it has been difficult to hire new personnel, it has not negatively affected her office’s effectiveness as is alleged in the report. Ruby also stated that every time auditors have requested additional personnel, those requests have been funded. The agency is recruiting for those positions.
Ruby was hired as the agency’s internal watchdog in September 2023.
Addressing complaints about transparency, Ruby said that OIPA is “working on a dashboard” to make it easier to find the recommendations and status of issues listed in the Audit Committee’s annual corrective action report.
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San Luis Obispo County Civil Grand Jury honored by the County Board of Supervisors. Watch the video.
fb.watch/yj60NJuVez/
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Shasta County Board of Supervisors proclaim March as "Grand Jury Awareness Month". The local TV station carried the story.
Shasta County Board of Supervisors to proclaim March as "Grand Jury Awareness Month"
www.actionnewsnow.com
In a effort to get more Shasta County residents to sign up to be part of the Shasta County Grand Jury, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors will proclaim the0 CommentsComment on Facebook
www.actionnewsnow.com/video/shasta-county-board-of-supervisors-to-proclaim-march-as-grand-jury-aw...
Shasta County Board of Supervisors honor the Civil Grand Jury by declaring March 2025 Civil Grand Jury Recognition Month.
(Link may not be available indefinitely.)
Shasta County Board of Supervisors to proclaim March as "Grand Jury Awareness Month"
www.actionnewsnow.com
In a effort to get more Shasta County residents to sign up to be part of the Shasta County Grand Jury, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors will proclaim the0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Monterey County Board of Supervisors honor the Civil Grand Jury declaring March Civil Grand Jury Recognition Month. Shown are Tom Motley, forman pro-tem of the current Civil Grand Jury and Tom Mastre, president of the Monterey Chapter of the Civil Grand Jurors’ Association of California. Also shown is the group of current and former Civil Grand Jurors with the supervisors, and the proclamation presented by Supervisor Kate Daniel’s.
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Grand jury critical of San Bernardino County 2023 storm response
Organizational issues, poor internal communication hampered response to snowstorm, panel finds
The aftermath of Feb.’s winter storms in the San Bernardino Mountains: Buildings and street signs are buried under several feet of snow in Crestline on Friday, March 3, 2023. (File photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
By BEAU YARBROUGH | byarbrough@scng.com | San Bernardino Sun
UPDATED: February 28, 2025 at 2:50 PM PST
In late February and early March 2023, a massive snowstorm hit the San Bernardino Mountains, trapping some residents in their homes for days without access to power, food or medicine. At the time, San Bernardino County officials pushed back on complaints that they weren’t doing an effective job responding to the storm.
But two years later, faced with criticism by the San Bernardino County grand jury, county officials are conceding the point: They could have done better in 2023 and are promising to do so in the future.
“Between the winds, the rains, the snow, the heat and earthquakes, we just have a lot to deal with here and I think that we can’t do enough to be prepared,” Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting Tuesday, Feb. 25, exactly two years after the storm hit.
On that day in 2023, a blizzard slammed into the San Bernardino Mountains, dropping up to 11 feet of snow on mountain communities over the next two weeks. Residents were trapped in their homes. In some cases, the roofs of mobile homes threatened to cave in. The roof of the only grocery store in Crestline collapsed. A woman died as the result of a storm-related traffic collision.
Officials were slow to respond at first and county communication with the public, elected officials and outside public agencies was inconsistent and sometimes confused. The public was told of efforts that weren’t happening and programs that didn’t exist. The county didn’t have enough equipment capable of handling a winter storm of this size. Volunteers wanting to help were turned away, as officials at first had no process in place to work with them during a disaster. Trapped in their homes, many mountain residents seethed with fury and frustration.
The county’s winter weather hotline received 7,565 calls between Feb. 27 and March 29. The highest call volume came from the hardest-hit communities, including 2,266 calls from Crestline, 1,660 from Lake Arrowhead and 845 from Running Springs.
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