(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, judges, subordinate judicial officers, and court executive officers of the superior courts are state officers for purposes of Part 1 (commencing with Section 810) to Part 7 (commencing with Section 995), inclusive, and trial court employees are employees of the trial court for purposes of Part 1 (commencing with Section 810) to Part 7 (commencing with Section 995), inclusive. The Judicial Council shall provide for representation, defense, and indemnification of those individuals and the court pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 810) to Part 7 (commencing with Section 995), inclusive. The Judicial Council shall provide for that representation or defense through the county counsel, the Attorney General, or other counsel. The county counsel and the Attorney General may, but are not required to, provide representation or defense for a trial court, judge, subordinate judicial officer, court executive officer, or trial court employee if the Judicial Council requests that assistance to fulfill its duties under this section. The fact that a justice, judge, subordinate judicial officer, court executive officer, court employee, the court, the Judicial Council, or the staff of the Judicial Council is or was represented or defended by the county counsel, the Attorney General, or other counsel shall not be the sole basis for a judicial determination of disqualification of a justice, judge, subordinate judicial officer, the county counsel, the Attorney General, or other counsel in unrelated actions.

(b) To promote the cost-effective, prompt, and fair resolution of actions, proceedings, and claims affecting the trial courts, the Judicial Council shall adopt rules of court requiring its staff to manage actions, proceedings, and claims that affect the trial courts and involve superior courts, superior court judges, subordinate judicial officers, court executive officers, or trial court employees in consultation with the affected courts and individuals. The staff’s management of these actions, proceedings, and claims shall include, but not be limited to, case management and administrative responsibilities such as selection of counsel and making strategic and settlement decisions.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the employment status of subordinate judicial officers, court executive officers, and trial court employees related to any matters not covered by subdivision (a).

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 478, Sec. 23. (AB 1756) Effective January 1, 2024.)