Monday, April 27, 2026
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Judicial Council Adopts Rule Requiring Report of Any ‘Civil Arrests’ at Courthouses
By a MetNews Staff Writer
The Judicial Council on Friday adopted a rule requiring superior courts to report to it details concerning “civil arrests” at courthouses, omitting mention of names of those taken into custody.
A “civil arrest” is defined by the rule as “the arrest of, or a communicated intent to arrest, an individual for an alleged violation of civil law,” specifying:
“It does not include an arrest for an alleged violation of criminal law, or for contempt.”
Superior Courts will be required to begin making their reports in June and information collected will be publicly posted starting in July.
The measure stems from concerns expressed by some—including Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero and, earlier, then-Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye—over arrests at courthouses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) agents.
Guerrero said on July 31 of last year:
“Making courthouses a focus of immigration enforcement hinders, rather than helps, the administration of justice by deterring witnesses and victims from coming forward and discouraging individuals from asserting their rights. We will continue to monitor this situation and work to ensure that courts are able to fulfill their essential role in the lives of all Californians.”
The proposal was circulated for comment between Dec. 19, 2025 to Jan. 9 of this year. The Los Angeles Superior Court responded:
“The proposal would work in courts of different sizes, but the impact largely depends on the administrative reporting requirements and elements to be captured. In addition, data management capacities vary by court, as do relationships between local, state, and federal agencies and local Court Security entities which may also impact the extent to which data is shared or able to be obtained.
“In a large court system like the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, ensuring consistent identification and reporting of civil arrests is challenging. While it’s straightforward to report arrests at the courthouse, adjacent areas pose verification difficulties. Currently, local, state, and federal agencies do not provide specifics on civil arrests which have complicated our current tracking efforts and would be an ongoing challenge.”
The court noted: “The proposal necessitates training court staff and clear communication with the LA County Sheriffs Department (LASD) regarding reporting requirements and the designated recipients of these incident reports for the Court.”
Los Angeles Arrests
The Western Center on Law and Poverty pointed out that, according to a June 25, 2025 report in the Los Angeles Times, at the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Airport Courthouse this occurred:
“Federal immigration agents stalked two women in courthouse hallways and arrested them immediately after they appeared for their scheduled court proceedings. The women were handcuffed, placed into unmarked vehicles, and removed without advance notice to the court.”
In March 2017, it said, “Four ICE agents arrested an individual inside the courthouse” in Pasadena.
Staff Report
An April 9 staff report to the Judicial Council says:
“Civil arrests in court facilities can significantly impact superior court operations and administration, public perception, and access to justice. In fact. California law prohibits civil arrests inside a courthouse; this prohibition does not apply to arrests made pursuant to a valid judicial warrant. However, no consistent, statewide approach exists for tracking or reporting civil arrests, should they occur. This gap limits the judicial branch’s understanding of the scope and impact of civil arrests in court facilities and its ability to respond effectively to court or community concerns.”
A footnote relates:
“Additionally, on January 6, 2026, Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton) introduced Senate Bill 873 to address immigration enforcement efforts in courthouses. While the bill currently does not contain substantive language, the author has indicated that the bill ‘will provide legal assurances that Californians are safe from immigration agents in and around the grounds of a courthouse.’ ”
Copyright 2026, Metropolitan News Company