What is the definition of "any civil matters and proceedings"?

The trial court herein construed any civil matters and proceedings to mean civil actions or lawsuits, thereby excluding most special proceedings, juvenile and family law matters. Because no case has defined that phrase as used in section 1050, subdivision (a), the People urge this court to do so. However, we conclude that a precise definition is unnecessary based on the discretionary nature of section 1050, subdivision (a), which gives the trial court discretion to allocate its resources in a manner consistent with the ends of justice. Consequently, in deference to the longstanding appellate principle that a reviewing court should avoid addressing issues unnecessary to its decision, even if the issue is one of public interest, we decline to undertake that task here. ( City of Santa Monica v. Stewart (2005) 126 Cal.App.4th 43, 69, 24 Cal.Rptr.3d 72.)