BEST CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT – awarded to a specific grand jury for an outstanding report.

2026 Best Grand Jury Report – 2023-2024 El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury, El Dorado Hills CSD: Controversy and Concerns Demand Change

The Civil Grand Jurors’ Association of California has granted its Best Grand Jury Report Award to the 2023-24 El Dorado County Grand Jury for its in-depth investigation uncovering serious financial and managerial problems in the El Dorado Hills Community Services District. As result of the report, “El Dorado Hills CSD: Controversy and Concerns Demand Change,” the district has passed a forensic audit, has new master plan underway, and more experienced financial leadership.

Beginning as an investigation into the propriety of an outside consulting arrangement, the investigation expanded into a broader examination of the Community Services District (CSD). The grand jury found evidence of financial mismanagement, and that the CSD had ample financial assets to develop new parks and amenities but was not doing so. The CSD Board provided inadequate oversight of management and staff, contributing to public frustration. The report recommended specific steps for putting the finances in order.

In 2025 the former general manager was indicted by a criminal grand jury (separate from the civil grand jury that assisted with the investigation). His criminal trial is set to proceed in early 2027 in El Dorado County.

Download past award winning reports

Requirements and limitations

Nominations may be made only by a CGJA Chapter or Association for its county. Where there is no Chapter or Association, nominations may be made by a CGJA member who resides in the county.

A county may nominate only one civil grand jury report and one news media coverage topic per year. A single civil grand jury report may be the subject of both awards.

The nominated report must have been published within the preceding five years — thereby allowing sufficient time for responses and implementation.

Awards are announced at the CGJA Annual Conference in the fall.

Award criteria

Significance of the issue, topic rationale.
Clear description of the investigation.
Findings follow from facts, recommendations based on the findings.
Clarity of the language, objectivity, and fairness.
Identified problems accompanied by suggested means for resolution.
Impact on the citizenry.
Difficulty of the investigation.
Media coverage.
Agency acknowledgement.
Changes resulting from the report.

View the form we use to evaluate the nominations.

Download the nomination material (instructions and fillable nomination form) and save to your computer before filling out the form.