More than 500 laws enacted in 2025 affect the courts. Many of these laws strengthen the judicial branch’s ability to serve court users with diverse backgrounds and needs.
Immigration
California law provides some of the strongest protections for immigrants in the nation. As California became a focal point of federal immigration activity this year, the courts worked to ensure proceedings remained fair and accessible to all court users.
One law supporting this effort is SB 281, which requires courts to give a verbatim immigration advisement before accepting a plea of guilty or no contest. This advisement informs defendants that, if they are not citizens, entering such a plea may carry immigration consequences, including deportation. A no contest plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but does concede the charge.
AB 1261 requires the state to provide legal counsel to immigrant youth involved in federal or related state immigration proceedings. The law defines immigrant youth as unaccompanied undocumented minors. To deliver these services, the state may contract with qualified nonprofit legal services organizations or an office of the public defender.
Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice
Beginning in 2026, new laws will help counties and state departments further strengthen child welfare services. AB 779 authorizes counties to establish a three-year pilot program in which domestic violence consultants will guide county social workers on supporting families experiencing both domestic violence and child maltreatment. Counties must also adopt a placement transition plan for foster youth under AB 896, to be implemented before a youth moves between placement settings or transitions from foster care to reunification. In addition, the state’s Office of Child Abuse Prevention will develop a standardized online curriculum for mandated reporters by July 1, 2027 (SB 119).
New laws also aim to improve minors’ experiences in court proceedings. Incarcerated parents must now be given the opportunity to be physically present at dependency hearings involving their child. If physical presence is waived, participation may occur through videoconference or teleconference (AB 651). The Family Preparedness Act of 2025 expands the definition of “relative” in caregivers’ authorization affidavits, which allow caregivers to make decisions for a child without establishing formal guardianship. The expanded definition includes any adult related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship, such as stepparents.
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, AI-generated deepfake pornography has emerged as a serious form of exploitation. AB 621 updates existing law to better protect minors by revising the cause of action for deepfake pornography. The law adds a cause of action against individuals who know, or reasonably should know, that a person depicted in deepfake pornography was a minor.
Mental Health
California first implemented the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act (CARE) in 2023. The program allows adults to petition a civil court to create a voluntary CARE agreement or a court-ordered CARE plan. CARE plans connect adults experiencing severe mental illness with services such as behavioral health care or housing. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, eligibility for the CARE Act will expand to include individuals with bipolar I disorder with psychotic features (SB 27).
Criminal Law
Under existing law, a crime punishable by death, state imprisonment, or county jail for more than one year is classified as a felony, while all other offenses are infractions or misdemeanors. AB 321 allows courts to decide whether a case proceeds as a felony or misdemeanor at any point before trial.
Civil Law
AB 250 allows plaintiffs to revive certain claims that would otherwise be barred before Jan. 1, 2026, due to expired statutes of limitations. Eligible claims must allege sexual assault, legal responsibility by one or more entities, and a cover-up of prior sexual assault allegations by those entities.
The Social Security Tenant Protection Act of 2025 permits residential tenants to claim Social Security hardship as a defense for unpaid rent. Social Security hardship is defined as a loss of income resulting from an interruption in Social Security benefit payments. Tenants must provide evidence of the interruption and pay all past-due rent once benefits resume.
Currently, courts review written objections when adults petition to change their name to match their gender identity. Beginning July 1, 2026, courts will no longer accept objections to adult name-change petitions. For minors, objections must be filed within four weeks (AB 1084). Name-change petitions for minors are confidential, and starting July 1, 2026, petitions for adults will also be confidential (SB 59).
Court Procedure and Operations
AB 1524 makes public electronic court records viewable at the courthouse. Members of the public may use their own equipment to copy records at no cost, while safeguards remain in place to protect record integrity.
In bench trials, where a judge decides a case without a jury, any party may request a statement of decision explaining the factual and legal basis for the ruling. Currently, the timing of such requests depends on trial length. Under AB 515, effective Jan. 1, 2027, the same rules will apply to all trials. Parties must request a statement of decision before submission, and courts may also issue one on their own initiative.
Traffic Law
A program requiring individuals convicted of driving under the influence to install an ignition interlock device has been extended through January 2033. Those who install the device may apply for a restricted driver’s license (AB 366).
Lawmakers have also authorized local governments to establish automated traffic enforcement systems. These systems may detect red light violations and issue citations to vehicles rather than drivers. Violations will carry civil penalties and will not result in driver’s license suspension or revocation by the Department of Motor Vehicles (SB 720).
Artificial Intelligence
The rapid growth of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI capable of producing original content, has introduced new legal considerations.
Under AB 316, defendants may not claim that artificial intelligence they developed, modified, or used acted autonomously when it is alleged to have caused harm to a plaintiff.
In addition, law enforcement agencies must now disclose when artificial intelligence was used in official reports and identify the type of program involved (SB 524).
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