A Conversation with Chief Justice of California Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye

Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye was sworn into office in January 2011 as the 28th Chief Justice of California—the first Asian-Filipina American and the second woman to serve in this capacity. During her tenure, she has fought for reform of court funding models and procedures that unfairly impact the poor, such as fines, fees, and the bail system. She was the first chief justice in the country to ask federal authorities to protect the integrity of the state court system by not arresting undocumented residents at courthouses. She has been recognized for her work on civics and for advancing the role of women and minorities in the legal profession. In 2019, she was honored with the Sandra Day O’Connor Award by the National Center for State Courts for her work inspiring, promoting, and improving civics education. During the COVID-19 pandemic she pushed for remote court operations and issued hundreds of emergency orders so that courts continue to operate safely. She also launched a program to make retired judges available to fast track the resolution of some criminal cases. All of her initiatives support her vision for a judicial branch that provides physical access through safe and secure courthouses, remote access through technology initiatives, and equal access for all Californians.

Mark Baldassare is president and CEO of the Public Policy Institute of California, where he holds the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Public Policy. He is a leading expert on public opinion and survey methodology, and has directed the PPIC Statewide Survey since 1998. He is an authority on elections, voter behavior, and political and fiscal reform, authoring ten books and numerous reports on these topics. He often provides testimony before legislative committees and state commissions, and regularly hosts PPIC’s Speaker Series, a public forum featuring in-depth interviews with state and national leaders. Previously, he served as PPIC’s director of research. Before joining PPIC, he was a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of California, Irvine, where he held the Johnson Chair in Civic Governance. He has conducted surveys for the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the California Business Roundtable. He holds a PhD in sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.