Investigation

A collage-style illustration, in blue and yellow tones, that shows a gray statue statue of lady justice holding scales with a large yellow sticker on it that says "sale!"

Investigation

The WalMart of public defense: How justice gets sold to the lowest bidder in rural California

Flat-fee contracts have been banned in other parts of the country. But, as the story of one law firm shows, they have flourished in the Golden State.

By

Anat Rubin

• December 17, 2025

A person sits indoors, seen through a window with soft reflections of trees and foliage overlaying the glass, looking slightly downward with a quiet, contemplative expression as warm autumn colors fill the background.

Mental Health

‘False hope’: Why families who celebrated Newsom’s new mental health court feel let down by it

Californians with loved ones in the throes of severe mental illness embraced Gov. Newsom's CARE Court and helped him sign it into law. Two years later, some of them say little has changed.

By

Jocelyn Wiener

• December 17, 2025

Two people in suits stand at a podium during a press conference. The person speaking gestures with one hand while the other person stands beside them, listening. The California state seal is visible on the podium, and a blue curtain forms the backdrop.

Investigation

40,000 people died on California roads. State leaders looked away

‘If these people's children had been killed by a drunk driver, there is no way they would be objecting to this.’

By

Robert Lewis

and

Lauren Hepler

• December 11, 2025

A collage-style illustration in blue and gray tones that shows a person resting their hand on their forehead.

Health

He built a nursing home empire despite state investigations. Now, lawsuits are piling up

California nursing home owner Shlomo Rechnitz received a batch of state licenses in 2023 despite past scrutiny from the attorney general's office and the state auditor. Today, his companies are facing half a dozen lawsuits over patient care.

By

Jocelyn Wiener

• November 20, 2025

Photo illustration of three panels: the first shows two smiling women from Unión del Barrio raising their fists; the second shows Gregory Bovino standing in front of masked ICE agents; the third shows a raised hand holding a walkie-talkie with radiating circles

Investigation

Listen: The blueprint for the national immigration raids came from California

CalMatters and Latino USA team up to tell the story of the man behind the aggressive immigration raids in California and beyond.

By

Andrew Donohue

• November 2, 2025

Investigation

15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road

As alcohol-related roadway deaths spike across the state, a CalMatters investigation finds California has some of the weakest DUI laws in the country.

By

Robert Lewis

and

Lauren Hepler

• October 30, 2025

A black and white photo of a stone memorial with the words "Victims of Drunk Drivers Memorial" on it next to the photos of various people.

Investigation

6 takeaways: California’s deadly failure on drunk driving

While DUI fatalities surge, a CalMatters investigation finds state leaders have shown little willingness to address the issue.

By

Robert Lewis

and

Lauren Hepler

• October 30, 2025

A large crowd gathers in an outdoor lot, inspecting vehicles parked in tight rows. Some individuals lean against cars, while others engage in conversation or examine vehicles up close. A silver Honda Civic with a missing license plate is in the foreground, with a person resting their arm on its trunk.

Investigation

CalMatters created a tool to help you get your money back from the DMV. Now the agency’s copied it

The California DMV is now allowing vehicle owners to see if the state owes them money for sales of their towed cars.

By

Byrhonda Lyons

• September 5, 2025

People, dressed in camouflage clothing with vests labeled "police" and holding weapons, stand in the middle of the street as a crowd films them during an immigration raid.

Justice

ACLU argues Border Patrol broke court order with high-profile Sacramento raid

After agents were forced to stop ‘roving patrols’ in LA, they moved north to Sacramento. But a judge had already restricted raids there.

By

Wendy Fry

and

Sergio Olmos

• September 3, 2025

Mental Health

Newsom promised real progress on mental health with CARE Court. Here’s what the numbers show

In the most-comprehensive look yet at whether people are using Gov. Gavin Newsom's CARE Court, we found that far fewer Californians are enrolled in the mental health program than he projected.

By

Marisa Kendall

,

Jocelyn Wiener

and

Erica Yee

• September 2, 2025