Manatt Appellate Partner Benjamin Shatz was appointed to serve as a member of the newly formed California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal Bias Prevention Committee, which was created to support the integrity and impartiality of the judicial system by promoting an appellate court environment free of bias. Specifically, it will focus on how bias manifests in various court interactions and work to identify practical objectives aimed at the prevention of bias. Members will organize education and outreach programs designed to better understand unconscious and explicit biases, how those biases may impact appellate court users during court interactions, and how courts can better understand and appreciate the unique qualities and needs of their diverse court users.
The committee is composed of justices from the California Supreme Court and each appellate district, a court administrator, and a variety of public and private appellate practitioners. Supreme Court Associate Justice Martin J. Jenkins chairs the committee.