ASCDC Seminar Closes with Warnings on Court Strain and Apolo Ohno's Call for Resilience

LOS ANGELES - The Association of Southern California Defense Counsel wrapped up its 65th Annual Seminar on Friday at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles with a series of discussions focused on the operational realities facing California courts and the evolving demands placed on litigators practicing in increasingly strained judicial systems.

One of the conference's final panels, "State of the Court Update," featured legislative advocates Michael D. Belote and Cliff J. Costa of California Advocates, U.S. District Judge Karen L. Stevenson and Assistant Presiding Judge Ricardo R. Ocampo of the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Belote opened with a broad overview of Sacramento politics and the economic forces shaping California policy decisions, particularly surrounding artificial intelligence and the technology sector.

"You cannot argue that the stock market and the state budget are not linked," Belote said, explaining that California remains heavily dependent on tax revenue generated through capital gains tied to high-income earners and technology companies.

Belote said lawmakers are increasingly focused on regulating artificial intelligence, automated decision-making systems and major technology companies, particularly in employment and consumer contexts.

"The legislature believes that social media got away from them," Belote said, describing what he called a growing determination in Sacramento to avoid repeating perceived regulatory failures involving social media platforms.

Costa followed with remarks centered on remote court appearances and ongoing court reporter issues throughout California. According to Costa, authorization for remote proceedings is expected to receive another extension through the state budget process and could eventually become a permanent feature of California courts.

"We are hearing very positive things coming this summer," Costa said.

Stevenson discussed the expanding use of remote appearances in federal court, acknowledging that virtual proceedings proved effective during the pandemic while cautioning that younger attorneys risk losing valuable courtroom experience if appearances become entirely remote.

"There's a real value for young lawyers to have the opportunity to appear in person, stand up straight at a lectern, face to face with the court and their adversary, and make their best argument," Stevenson said.

Stevenson described the Central District of California as one of the busiest federal districts in the nation, serving approximately 19.5 million residents across seven counties. According to Stevenson, civil filings in the district increased more than 11 percent in 2025, while criminal filings rose more than 69 percent during the same period.

Later in the discussion, Stevenson warned about increasing threats against judges and attacks on judicial independence.

"Highly partisan rhetoric, misinformation and threats of physical violence are corrosive to the very fabric of our democracy," Stevenson said.

Ocampo closed the panel with an update on Los Angeles County Superior Court operations, focusing on modernization efforts and surging civil filings.

"As many of you all know, Los Angeles County is extraordinary in both scale and responsibility," Ocampo said, noting that the court handles more than one million filings annually across nearly 4,000 square miles.

Ocampo highlighted several modernization initiatives, including "CourtMate," an AI-powered chatbot designed to assist court users with matters ranging from jury service to unlawful detainer proceedings.

At the same time, Ocampo warned that the court system is facing mounting operational pressure from rapidly increasing civil caseloads.

According to Ocampo, civil filings in Los Angeles County have increased nearly 68 percent since 2022, driven in part by collection matters, automobile-related personal injury litigation and lemon law claims.

"We recognize that we cannot litigate our way out of every challenge," Ocampo said.

At the association's Annual Luncheon, Olympic gold medalist Apolo Ohno delivered a keynote address centered less on medals and athletic achievement than on resilience, discipline and personal accountability.

Reflecting on the failures that shaped his Olympic career as much as his victories, Ohno told the audience that high performance ultimately depends on how people respond when circumstances do not go their way.

"You prepare a lifetime for something," Ohno said, "and it may or may not go your way, but your perception of that result and how you pick yourself back up is within your control."

Throughout the speech, Ohno explored the concept of "flow," describing it as a heightened mental state where focus sharpens and performance becomes instinctive under pressure. Comparing the experience to moments attorneys and judges may encounter in courtrooms and legal practice, he said peak performance cannot be forced, but instead emerges through preparation, repetition and complete engagement with the process.

"When you say, 'I'm going to get into flow,' it's nowhere to be found," Ohno said. "You have to do all the things necessary, all the preparation, leave nothing unturned, and then flow seems to come to you."

He also cautioned against the modern expectation of instant gratification, arguing that meaningful mastery still requires years of disciplined work.

"We have to play to win," Ohno said, "because that is what demands the best of ourselves."

Ohno closed by shifting toward a broader message about purpose, perspective and personal choice. He said his work today is no longer rooted in competition, but in helping high-performing professionals reconnect with their own inner strength and sense of agency.

"My purpose and passion today," Ohno said, "is to be a vessel of reminder, to help guide folks who are high performers like yourself of their own inner power."

Speaking directly to the audience, he emphasized the importance of character and perseverance during difficult times.

"What you do, how you conduct yourself, how you stick with it when it's really hard," he said, "is what we live and need as human beings."

He concluded with a phrase that had been written inside his racing suit throughout his Olympic career: "One world. One life. One chance. Your choice."