What We Do
We provide the general public with information and educational materials and activities on the California Civil Grand Jury system that will help increase public awareness of the valuable role the civil grand jury plays in our democratic system of government.
We provide comprehensive training on all subjects relative to empaneled civil grand juries available to all 58 counties within California including civil grand jury training as well as specific workshops on key topics relevant to civil grand jury service.
What Are You
Looking For?
Find valuable information on these subjects
Civil Grand Jury Resources
Here you can find sample documents, templates, examples of well-written reports, links to local government resources,
and FAQs.
Our Annual Conference
Every year in the fall, CGJA holds an Annual Conference and Membership Meeting to provide an opportunity for members and civil grand jurors to meet and discuss experiences and hear from speakers and panels on relevant topics of interest.
Chapter Resources
Includes chapter resource documents, suggested activities for chapters, guidance for forming a chapter along with templates.
Get Involved
Join CGJA as an active member, volunteer for CGJA, become a civil grand juror, join a chapter, or support us through a tax deductible donation.
Grand Jurors' Journal
This bimonthly journal is a major source of information about the civil grand jury system and recent updates on CGJA activities of interest to our members.
CGJA and California's Civil Grand Jury System
Learn about CGJA and details about California’s unique system of civil grand juries.
Our Awards
Annual awards recognizing civil grand jury reporting and media coverage along with the Angelo Rolando Service Award.
We can help you become
an effective civil grand juror
CGJA conducts training seminars for civil grand jurors and alternates on their various civil functions. These seminars include twelve full hours of presentations and over 300 pages of training materials. Experienced and highly qualified trainers who have served as civil grand jurors or grand jury legal advisors present these programs locally, throughout the state as “onsite” seminars or via Zoom if Covid-19 restrictions exist.
We also conduct Foreperson and Pro Tem Workshops, Legal Advisors’ Workshops, and Report Writing Workshops.
Stay Updated with Civil Grand Jury News
Humbolt County CGJA Grand Jury Tsunami Alert Report – 2026 July
www.madriverunion.com/articles/grand-jury-analysis-of-2024-tsunami-alert-plus-recommendations/
Grand Jury analysis of 2024 tsunami alert, plus recommendations
Mad River Union
June 18, 2026
“We gotta head for higher ground, we can’t come back until the water goes down”
– Johnny Cash
Imagine you are walking along the ocean shoreline in our county, and the ground starts to shake violently. Several minutes later, your phone receives an alert telling you a tsunami is likely.
What do you do? Are you in a tsunami zone?
Shortly after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the Humboldt County coastline on Dec. 5, 2024, an emergency tsunami warning was sent to 5 million cell phones along the California coast.
Alerts went to phones outside the tsunami zone, including inland communities such as Redding.
Maps, generated by the National Weather Service and issued during the tsunami warning, implied that the tsunami zone extended to a 2,000-foot elevation.
Confusion resulting from this map led to a mass exodus from areas that were not at risk. Traffic on Highway 101 through Eureka came to a standstill. Emergency vehicles could not get through.
Humboldt residents are very aware of their vulnerability to earthquakes and tsunamis, but when an earthquake occurs and is sufficiently violent to create tsunami waves, alerting those who are likely to be affected and providing accurate information to allow a safe reaction remains problematic.
The Civil Grand Jury Report, The Next Wave in Tsunami Warnings in Humboldt, was published on the Humboldt County website Civil Grand Jury | Humboldt County, CA – Official Website, and addresses these concerns.
humboldtgov.org/DocumentCenter/View/153668/The-Next-Wave-in-Tsunami-Warnings-in-Humboldt
Among the Grand Jury’s findings
• Humboldt County tsunami sirens are costly, lack funding, and nearly all are non-functional, leaving large tsunami zone areas without siren coverage.
• Alaska-based federally operated tsunami alert systems have historically been targeted to large areas of the west coast, resulting in local false alarms, confusion and needless panic.
• “Blue line” pavement markings, used in Oregon and Washington, that indicate “Leaving Tsunami Zone” have proven effective and economical in drawing public awareness to where safety lies in the event of a tsunami
• Current Humboldt Alert wireless messages are targeted to residential addresses rather than the physical address (geolocation) location of the person’s phone. This can result in people missing an alert during a tsunami event.
Among the Grand Jury’s recommendations
• Humboldt County should publicize that Humboldt County’s outdated siren system will not be replaced or expanded.
• The City of Eureka City should apply for eligible grant funding for “blue line” pavement markings to be installed.
• Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services should investigate funding to install a locally-controlled wireless alert system.
• Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services should implement geolocation on its current wireless alert system and, if the system does not have that ability, research other systems which provide geolocation capability.
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Petaluma Rejects Sonoma County Grand Jury Animal Services Findings
patch.com/california/petaluma/petaluma-rejects-grand-jury-animal-services-findings
Patch
By Angela Woodall,
July 15, 2026
Petaluma Rejects Grand Jury Animal Services Findings
patch.com
City leaders disputed every finding while promising new oversight, reporting, and regional animal services improvements.1 CommentsComment on Facebook
Ventura County Grand Jury Report 2026 - Grand Jury calls out inaction on evergrowing fire risk
www.toacorn.com
A “fast-growing, fast-burning, water stealing, high ember-casting threat” is invading Ventura County and little is being done to stop it, according to a sca0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Humbolt County CGJA - Humboldt County Planning Department Report – 2026 July
www.times-standard.com/2026/06/24/report-county-planning-department-struggles-with-access-transpa...
Report: Humboldt County planning department struggles with access, transparency issues
Civil grand jury finds recruitment, retention, low pay contributes to problems in the department
By MARANDA VARGAS | mvargas@times-standard.com
PUBLISHED: June 24, 2026 at 2:37 PM PDT | UPDATED: June 24, 2026 at 2:55 PM PDT
John Ford is the Humboldt County Planning and Building director. He answered questions at a recent meeting. (Screenshot)
The Humboldt County Planning and Building Department, the gatekeeper for construction and development outside city limits, is facing renewed scrutiny after a 2025–2026 Civil Grand Jury report titled, “Friend or Foe? Struggling with Reputation at the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department,” concludes that the department is struggling with a reputation ...
(Note: this article lies behind a ‘pay-wall,’ and requires a subscription to the providing media service to access)
Report: Humboldt County planning department struggles with access, transparency issues
www.times-standard.com
The Humboldt County Building and Planning Department is struggling with a perception and reputation problem.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Humbolt County CGJA – 2026 July
lostcoastoutpost.com/2026/jun/29/civil-grand-jury-report-examines-how-humboldt-coun/
Civil Grand Jury Report Examines How Humboldt County Schools Prepare for Earthquakes and Tsunamis
Lost Coast Outpost LOCO STAFF / MONDAY, JUNE 29 @ 8:14 A.M.
Press release from the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury:
Every parent wants assurance that their child will be safe at school. Parents play a critical role in emergency preparedness by understanding their school’s safety plan, knowing their responsibilities, and being prepared to take appropriate action when emergencies occur. Clear and consistent communication between schools and families is essential.
The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury reviewed school safety plans throughout the county, focusing specifically on preparedness for natural disasters. Our review examined how schools respond to earthquakes and tsunamis. We found that all reviewed schools met California requirements for safety plans, but we also identified several schools and districts that exceed minimum standards through innovative and effective practices.
This report highlights some of the best practices and encourages their adoption by other schools. Because we did not interview every school district in Humboldt County, there are likely additional schools with exemplary safety programs that are not mentioned in this report.
Our primary recommendation is that the Humboldt County Office of Education (HCOE) continue what we started and identify notable safety practices and facilitate sharing this information among schools and districts.
The Civil Grand Jury Report Safety First: How Our Schools Prepare for Emergencies published 6/17/2026 on the Humboldt County website Civil Grand Jury | Humboldt County, CA - Official Website, highlights the positive efforts schools are making and makes recommendations to address shortcomings.
PREVIOUSLY in 2025-26 Grand Jury Reports:
• The Humboldt County Grand Jury Has Released its First Report of the 2025-2026 Session, and It’s a Love Letter to the Eel River Conservation Camp
• Humboldt County’s Tsunami Warning System Could Be Improved, Latest Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury Report Finds
• Humboldt’s Planning and Building Department Has Staffing Challenges and Communication Issues, Grand Jury Says
• Our Water and Sewer Bills Need to Increase Regularly If We Want Safe and Reliable Service, Grand Jury Report Concludes
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Humbolt County CGJA – 2026 July
lostcoastoutpost.com/2026/jun/30/local-law-enforcement-lack-sufficient-funding-and/
Local Law Enforcement Agencies Lack Sufficient Funding and Personnel to Respond to Disasters, Civil Grand Jury Concludes
LOST COAST OUTPOST STAFF / TUESDAY, JUNE 30 @ 10:21 A.M.
Press release from the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury:
For many years, Humboldt County Civil Grand Juries have focused on disaster preparedness within Humboldt County at the local government and operational area levels.
This year, the Grand Jury looked at operational preparations, focusing on the boots on the ground. This investigation looked primarily at local law enforcement agencies because they are among the most visible players in local disaster response.
The Grand Jury did extensive research on disaster preparedness plans, attended safety presentations and demonstrations, and interviewed several local law enforcement agencies.
Funding for local field response training and for the acquisition and maintenance of specialized emergency/disaster response equipment is an issue for all Humboldt County law enforcement agencies.
Local law enforcement officers know what needs to be done to protect their communities during a disaster. They want to protect and serve their communities effectively during disasters. Still, many simply don’t have enough funding or personnel to respond to local disasters, which they believe their communities deserve
The most common challenge we heard was that law enforcement agencies’ ability to respond efficiently and effectively to local disasters was hampered by insufficient funding and staffing.
Local law enforcement agencies do the best they can with the limited resources they have.
The Grand Jury Report Emergency Preparedness - The Role of Local Law Enforcement Agencies [click here to download in pdf form] was published 2/17/2026 on the Humboldt County website Civil Grand Jury | Humboldt County, CA - Official Website.
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PREVIOUSLY in 2025-26 Civil Grand Jury:
• The Humboldt County Grand Jury Has Released its First Report of the 2025-2026 Session, and It’s a Love Letter to the Eel River Conservation Camp
• Humboldt County’s Tsunami Warning System Could Be Improved, Latest Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury Report Finds
• Humboldt’s Planning and Building Department Has Staffing Challenges and Communication Issues, Grand Jury Says
• Our Water and Sewer Bills Need to Increase Regularly If We Want Safe and Reliable Service, Grand Jury Report Concludes
• Civil Grand Jury Report Examines How Humboldt County Schools Prepare for Earthquakes and Tsunamis
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CGJA Journal
This bimonthly journal is a major source of information about the civil grand jury system and recent updates on CGJA activities of interest to our members.
The Gift of Your Time
is Priceless
CGJA is an all-volunteer membership organization. We succeed mainly because our members volunteer to serve on our committees and/or train civil grand jurors. Serving on committees almost never requires travel as we communicate via email and computer video. Our trainers do travel to venues throughout the state and we reimburse them for lodging, mileage, and a modest per diem for other expenses.
