Superior Courts of California
Encyclopedia
The Superior Courts of California are the superior court
s in the U.S. state
of California
with general jurisdiction
to hear and decide any civil or criminal action which is not specially designated to be heard in some other court or before a government agency. As mandated by the California Constitution
, each of the 58 counties in California has a superior court.
. As of 2007, the Superior Courts of California consisted of over 1,500 judges, and make up the largest part of California's judicial system, which is in turn one of the largest court systems in the United States
.
Superior court judges are elected by each county's voters to six-year terms. California attorneys are allowed to run against sitting superior court judges at their retention elections, and have occasionally succeeded in doing so. Vacancies in the superior courts are filled by appointments made by the Governor
.
Because Los Angeles County has the largest population of any county in the United States
, it also has the largest Superior Court. The Los Angeles County Superior Court is organized into dozens of highly specialized departments dealing with everything from moving violation
s to mental health
. It handles over 2.5 million legal matters each year, of which about 4,000 terminate in jury trials; this works out to about 4,300 matters per judge. Its 429 judges are assisted by 140 commissioners and 14 referees.
In contrast, many of California's smallest counties, like Alpine, Del Norte, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Mono, and Trinity, typically have only two Superior Court judges each, who are usually assisted by a single part-time commissioner.
To be eligible to become a superior court judge in California, one must have been a member of the State Bar of California
for at least 10 years.
One quirk of California law
is that when a party petitions the appellate courts for a writ of mandate (California's version of mandamus
), the case name becomes [petitioner name] v. Superior Court (that is, the Superior Court is the respondent on appeal), and the real opponent is then listed below those names as the "real party in interest
." This is why several U.S. Supreme Court decisions in cases that originated in California bear names like Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court
(1987) and Burnham v. Superior Court of California
(1990). The underlying justification is that the writ jurisdiction of the California Courts of Appeal is to make an order directing the Superior Court to enter an order in its records, while the real party in interest has standing to oppose the appellate application for a writ. Normally, there is "no appearance for respondent," but in certain rare circumstances, the Superior Court does have standing to oppose an application for a writ, and has actually done so.
Another quirk is that because the superior courts are now fully unified with all courts of inferior jurisdiction, the superior courts must hear relatively minor cases that previously would have been heard in such courts, such as infractions, misdemeanor
s, and "limited civil" actions (actions where the amount in controversy
is below $25,000). The superior courts have appellate divisions (superior court judges sitting as appellate judges) which were previously responsible for hearing appeals from inferior courts. Now, the appellate divisions hear appeals from decisions of other superior court judges (or commissioners, or judges pro tem) who heard and decided such minor cases. Unlike appellate divisions in other states (such as the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
), the appellate divisions of the superior courts are not considered to be separate courts.
in 1879. Previously, the California Judiciary Act of 1851 had created multi-county District Courts of general jurisdiction which supervised County Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts of limited jurisdiction.
Notably, the superior courts did not always enjoy the unified jurisdiction that they possess now. At one point in the early 20th century, California had as many as six types of inferior courts of limited jurisdiction under the superior courts. The Municipal and Justice Courts Act of 1949 reduced the number of inferior courts to two: municipal courts and "justice of the peace
" courts.
Starting in the late 1970s, California began to slowly phase out the use of justice courts (in which non-lawyers were often allowed by statute to preside as judges) after a landmark 1974 decision in which the Supreme Court of California
unanimously held that it was a violation of due process
to allow a non-lawyer to preside over a criminal trial which could result in incarceration of the defendant.
In 1998, Proposition 220 was approved by the state's voters; it amended the state Constitution to authorize judges in each county to decide whether or not to retain municipal or justice courts. By 2001, every California county had consolidated its municipal and justice courts into the superior courts. Thus, at present, the superior courts are actually not "superior" to any inferior courts within the judicial branch. They are still superior to certain types of administrative hearings within the executive branch; dissatisfied litigants can appeal to superior courts through administrative mandamus.
Many of California's larger superior courts have specialized departments for different types of cases like criminal, civil, traffic, small claims, probate, family, juvenile, and complex litigation, but these departments are simply administrative assignments that can be rearranged at the discretion of each superior court's presiding judge in response to changing caseloads (that is, regardless of the department title, all orders are issued by judges of the superior court). In contrast, inferior courts were creatures of statute and thus were slightly more difficult to rearrange.
Another peculiarity of California law is that traditionally, the superior courts did not own their own buildings, and the state was not required to provide them with buildings, even though the superior courts were part of the judicial branch of the state government. Rather, county governments were supposed to provide buildings and security for the superior courts out of their own local budgets.
At the same time, courthouse construction and maintenance were often overlooked among the numerous mandatory responsibilities placed upon counties by California law. After several decades of complaints about dilapidated courthouses, the California Legislature passed the Trial Court Funding Act of 1997 and then the Trial Court Facilities Act of 2002 to begin the process of transferring courthouses from county to state ownership. The first transfer, in Riverside County, took place in October 2004. On December 29, 2009, the Administrative Office of the Courts announced that the process of transferring 532 facilities to state control was complete with the transfer of the Glenn County Superior Courthouse.
Superior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
s in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with general jurisdiction
General jurisdiction
A court of general jurisdiction is one that has the authority to hear cases of all kinds - criminal, civil, family, probate, and so forth.-Courts of general jurisdiction in the United States:All federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction. Many U.S...
to hear and decide any civil or criminal action which is not specially designated to be heard in some other court or before a government agency. As mandated by the California Constitution
California Constitution
The document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of California. The original constitution, adopted in November 1849 in advance of California attaining U.S. statehood in 1850, was superseded by the current constitution, which...
, each of the 58 counties in California has a superior court.
Organization
The superior courts are the lowest level of state courts in California holding general jurisdiction on civil and criminal matters. Above them are the six California Courts of Appeal, each with appellate jurisdiction over the superior courts within their districts, and the Supreme Court of CaliforniaSupreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
. As of 2007, the Superior Courts of California consisted of over 1,500 judges, and make up the largest part of California's judicial system, which is in turn one of the largest court systems in the United States
Courts of the United States
Courts of the United States include both the United States federal courts, comprising the judicial branch of the federal government of the United States and state and territorial courts of the individual U.S...
.
Superior court judges are elected by each county's voters to six-year terms. California attorneys are allowed to run against sitting superior court judges at their retention elections, and have occasionally succeeded in doing so. Vacancies in the superior courts are filled by appointments made by the Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
.
Because Los Angeles County has the largest population of any county in the United States
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
, it also has the largest Superior Court. The Los Angeles County Superior Court is organized into dozens of highly specialized departments dealing with everything from moving violation
Moving violation
A moving violation is any violation of the law committed by the driver of a vehicle while it is in motion. The term "motion" distinguishes it from other violations such as parking violations, equipment violations, or paperwork violations relating to insurance, registration, inspection, etc.-...
s to mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
. It handles over 2.5 million legal matters each year, of which about 4,000 terminate in jury trials; this works out to about 4,300 matters per judge. Its 429 judges are assisted by 140 commissioners and 14 referees.
In contrast, many of California's smallest counties, like Alpine, Del Norte, Inyo, Lake, Lassen, Mono, and Trinity, typically have only two Superior Court judges each, who are usually assisted by a single part-time commissioner.
To be eligible to become a superior court judge in California, one must have been a member of the State Bar of California
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
for at least 10 years.
One quirk of California law
California law
California law consists of several levels, including constitutional, statutory, and regulatory law, as well as case law.-Constitutional law:...
is that when a party petitions the appellate courts for a writ of mandate (California's version of mandamus
Mandamus
A writ of mandamus or mandamus , or sometimes mandate, is the name of one of the prerogative writs in the common law, and is "issued by a superior court to compel a lower court or a government officer to perform mandatory or purely ministerial duties correctly".Mandamus is a judicial remedy which...
), the case name becomes [petitioner name] v. Superior Court (that is, the Superior Court is the respondent on appeal), and the real opponent is then listed below those names as the "real party in interest
Real party in interest
In law, the real party in interest is the one who actually possesses the substantive right being asserted and has a legal right to enforce the claim . Additionally, the "real party in interest" must sue in his own name...
." This is why several U.S. Supreme Court decisions in cases that originated in California bear names like Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court
Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court
Asahi Metal Industry Co. v. Superior Court, 480 U.S. 102 , decided on February 24, 1987, was a case decided by the United States Supreme Court, in which the court decided whether a foreign corporation, by merely being aware that its products could end up in the forum state and into the American...
(1987) and Burnham v. Superior Court of California
Burnham v. Superior Court of California
Burnham v. Superior Court of California, County of Marin, was a United States Supreme Court case concerning the transient jurisdiction of a forum state. All nine justices were unanimous concerning the judgment, but the Court issued a fractured decision...
(1990). The underlying justification is that the writ jurisdiction of the California Courts of Appeal is to make an order directing the Superior Court to enter an order in its records, while the real party in interest has standing to oppose the appellate application for a writ. Normally, there is "no appearance for respondent," but in certain rare circumstances, the Superior Court does have standing to oppose an application for a writ, and has actually done so.
Another quirk is that because the superior courts are now fully unified with all courts of inferior jurisdiction, the superior courts must hear relatively minor cases that previously would have been heard in such courts, such as infractions, misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
s, and "limited civil" actions (actions where the amount in controversy
Amount in controversy
Amount in controversy is a term used in United States civil procedure to denote the amount at stake in a lawsuit, in particular in connection with a requirement that persons seeking to bring a lawsuit in a particular court must be suing for a certain minimum amount before that court may hear the...
is below $25,000). The superior courts have appellate divisions (superior court judges sitting as appellate judges) which were previously responsible for hearing appeals from inferior courts. Now, the appellate divisions hear appeals from decisions of other superior court judges (or commissioners, or judges pro tem) who heard and decided such minor cases. Unlike appellate divisions in other states (such as the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate appellate court in New York State. The Appellate Division is composed of four departments .*The First Department covers the Bronx The Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division is the intermediate...
), the appellate divisions of the superior courts are not considered to be separate courts.
History
The concept of having a Superior Court of general jurisdiction in each of California's counties dates back to the ratification of the second California ConstitutionCalifornia Constitution
The document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of California. The original constitution, adopted in November 1849 in advance of California attaining U.S. statehood in 1850, was superseded by the current constitution, which...
in 1879. Previously, the California Judiciary Act of 1851 had created multi-county District Courts of general jurisdiction which supervised County Courts and Justice of the Peace Courts of limited jurisdiction.
Notably, the superior courts did not always enjoy the unified jurisdiction that they possess now. At one point in the early 20th century, California had as many as six types of inferior courts of limited jurisdiction under the superior courts. The Municipal and Justice Courts Act of 1949 reduced the number of inferior courts to two: municipal courts and "justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
" courts.
Starting in the late 1970s, California began to slowly phase out the use of justice courts (in which non-lawyers were often allowed by statute to preside as judges) after a landmark 1974 decision in which the Supreme Court of California
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
unanimously held that it was a violation of due process
Due process
Due process is the legal code that the state must venerate all of the legal rights that are owed to a person under the principle. Due process balances the power of the state law of the land and thus protects individual persons from it...
to allow a non-lawyer to preside over a criminal trial which could result in incarceration of the defendant.
In 1998, Proposition 220 was approved by the state's voters; it amended the state Constitution to authorize judges in each county to decide whether or not to retain municipal or justice courts. By 2001, every California county had consolidated its municipal and justice courts into the superior courts. Thus, at present, the superior courts are actually not "superior" to any inferior courts within the judicial branch. They are still superior to certain types of administrative hearings within the executive branch; dissatisfied litigants can appeal to superior courts through administrative mandamus.
Many of California's larger superior courts have specialized departments for different types of cases like criminal, civil, traffic, small claims, probate, family, juvenile, and complex litigation, but these departments are simply administrative assignments that can be rearranged at the discretion of each superior court's presiding judge in response to changing caseloads (that is, regardless of the department title, all orders are issued by judges of the superior court). In contrast, inferior courts were creatures of statute and thus were slightly more difficult to rearrange.
Another peculiarity of California law is that traditionally, the superior courts did not own their own buildings, and the state was not required to provide them with buildings, even though the superior courts were part of the judicial branch of the state government. Rather, county governments were supposed to provide buildings and security for the superior courts out of their own local budgets.
At the same time, courthouse construction and maintenance were often overlooked among the numerous mandatory responsibilities placed upon counties by California law. After several decades of complaints about dilapidated courthouses, the California Legislature passed the Trial Court Funding Act of 1997 and then the Trial Court Facilities Act of 2002 to begin the process of transferring courthouses from county to state ownership. The first transfer, in Riverside County, took place in October 2004. On December 29, 2009, the Administrative Office of the Courts announced that the process of transferring 532 facilities to state control was complete with the transfer of the Glenn County Superior Courthouse.
List
- Superior Court of Alameda County, Alameda County, CaliforniaAlameda County, CaliforniaAlameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
- Superior Court of Alpine County, Alpine County, CaliforniaAlpine County, CaliforniaAlpine County is the smallest county, by population, in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010, it had a population of 1,175, all rural. There are no incorporated cities in the county. The county seat is Markleeville...
- Superior Court of Amador County, Amador County, CaliforniaAmador County, CaliforniaAmador County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,091. The county seat is Jackson.Amador County bills itself as "The Heart of the Mother Lode" and lies within the Gold Country...
- Superior Court of Butte County, Butte County, CaliforniaButte County, CaliforniaButte County is a county located in the Central Valley of the US state of California, north of the state capital of Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 220,000. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is the "Land of Natural Wealth and Beauty."Butte County is watered by the...
- Superior Court of Calaveras County, Calaveras County, CaliforniaCalaveras County, CaliforniaCalaveras County is a county located in the Gold Country of the U.S. state of California. Calaveras is the Spanish word for skulls; the county was reportedly named for the remains of Native Americans discovered by the Spanish explorer Captain Gabriel Moraga. As of the 2010 census, the county had a...
- Superior Court of Colusa County, Colusa County, CaliforniaColusa County, CaliforniaColusa County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, northwest of state capital Sacramento. As of the 2010 census, its population was 21,419. The county seat is Colusa.-History:...
- Superior Court of Contra Costa CountySuperior Court of Contra Costa CountyThe Contra Costa County Superior Court is one of the Superior Courts of California. The court is located in Martinez, California.- Judges :Samuel Conti was a Superior court judge in the Contra Costa County from 1968 to 1970....
, Contra Costa County, CaliforniaContra Costa County, CaliforniaContra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025... - Superior Court of Del Norte County, Del Norte County, CaliforniaDel Norte County, CaliforniaDel Norte County is a county located at the far northwest corner of the U.S. state of California on the Pacific adjacent to the Oregon border. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 28,610. The county seat is Crescent City, the county's only incorporated city. Del Norte is the abbreviated...
- Superior Court of El Dorado County, El Dorado County, CaliforniaEl Dorado County, CaliforniaEl Dorado County is a county located in the historic Gold Country in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and foothills of the U.S. state of California. The 2010 population was 181,058. The El Dorado county seat is in Placerville....
- Superior Court of Fresno County, Fresno County, CaliforniaFresno County, CaliforniaFresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
- Superior Court of Glenn County, Glenn County, CaliforniaGlenn County, CaliforniaGlenn County is in the California Central Valley. As of 2010, it had a population of 28,122. The county seat is the city of Willows.-History:Glenn County was formed in 1891 from parts of Colusa County. It was named for Dr. Hugh J...
- Superior Court of Humboldt County, Humboldt County, CaliforniaHumboldt County, CaliforniaHumboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
- Superior Court of Imperial County, Imperial County, CaliforniaImperial County, CaliforniaImperial County is a county located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U.S. state of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, which encompasses all of Imperial County. The population as of 2000 was 142,361. The county seat is the...
- Superior Court of Inyo County, Inyo County, CaliforniaInyo County, California-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
- Superior Court of Kern County, Kern County, CaliforniaKern County, CaliforniaSpreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
- Superior Court of Kings County, Kings County, CaliforniaKings County, CaliforniaKings County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat is Hanford...
- Superior Court of Lake County, Lake County, CaliforniaLake County, CaliforniaLake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
- Superior Court of Lassen County, Lassen County, CaliforniaLassen County, CaliforniaLassen County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,895, up from 33,828 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of Los Angeles CountySuperior Court of Los Angeles CountyThe Superior Court of Los Angeles County is the Superior Court located in Los Angeles County. It is the largest single unified trial court in the United States....
, Los Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County, CaliforniaLos Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states... - Superior Court of Madera County, Madera County, CaliforniaMadera County, CaliforniaMadera County is a county of the U.S. state of California, located in the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada north of Fresno County. It comprises the Madera-Chowchilla, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census the population was 150,865...
- Superior Court of Marin County, Marin County, CaliforniaMarin County, CaliforniaMarin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
- Superior Court of Mariposa County, Mariposa County, CaliforniaMariposa County, CaliforniaMariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of Mendocino County, Mendocino County, CaliforniaMendocino County, CaliforniaMendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of Merced County, Merced County, CaliforniaMerced County, CaliforniaMerced County , is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose. As of the 2010 census, the population was 255,793, up from 210,554 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Merced...
- Superior Court of Modoc County, Modoc County, CaliforniaModoc County, CaliforniaModoc County is a county located in the far northeast corner of the U.S. state of California, bounded by the state of Oregon to the north and the state of Nevada to the east. As of the 2010 census, its population was 9,686, up from 9,449 at the 2000 census. The current county seat is Alturas, the...
- Superior Court of Mono County, Mono County, CaliforniaMono County, CaliforniaMono County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California, to the east of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,202, up from 12,853 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of Monterey County, Monterey County, CaliforniaMonterey County, CaliforniaMonterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
- Superior Court of Napa County, Napa County, CaliforniaNapa County, CaliforniaNapa County is a county located north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is coterminous with the Napa, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population is 136,484. The county seat is Napa....
- Superior Court of Nevada County, Nevada County, CaliforniaNevada County, CaliforniaNevada County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of California, in the Mother Lode country. As of 2010 its population was 98,764. The county seat is Nevada City.-History:Nevada County was created in 1851 from parts of Yuba County....
- Superior Court of Orange County, Orange County, CaliforniaOrange County, CaliforniaOrange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
- Superior Court of Placer County, Placer County, CaliforniaPlacer County, CaliforniaPlacer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
- Superior Court of Plumas County, Plumas County, CaliforniaPlumas County, CaliforniaPlumas County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The county gets its name from the Spanish words for the Feather River , which flows through the county. As of the 2010 census, the population 20,007, down from 20,824 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of Riverside County, Riverside County, CaliforniaRiverside County, CaliforniaRiverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
- Superior Court of Sacramento County, Sacramento County, CaliforniaSacramento County, CaliforniaSacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
- Superior Court of San Benito County, San Benito County, CaliforniaSan Benito County, CaliforniaSan Benito County is a county located in the Coast Range Mountains of the U.S. state of California, south of San Jose. As of 2010 the population was 55,269. The county seat is Hollister, which includes nearly two-thirds of the county's population. El Camino Real passes through the county and...
- Superior Court of San Bernardino County, San Bernardino County, CaliforniaSan Bernardino County, CaliforniaSan Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of San Diego County, San Diego County, CaliforniaSan Diego County, CaliforniaSan Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
- Superior Court of San Francisco County, San Francisco County, California
- Superior Court of San Joaquin County, San Joaquin County, CaliforniaSan Joaquin County, CaliforniaSan Joaquin County is a county located in Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, just east of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 685,306. The county seat is Stockton.-History:...
- Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo County, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo County, CaliforniaSan Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census its population was 269,637, up from 246,681 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of San Mateo County, San Mateo County, CaliforniaSan Mateo County, CaliforniaSan Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
- Superior Court of Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara County, CaliforniaSanta Barbara County, CaliforniaSanta Barbara County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, on the Pacific coast. As of 2010 the county had a population of 423,895. The county seat is Santa Barbara and the largest city is Santa Maria.-History:...
- Superior Court of Santa Clara CountySuperior Court of Santa Clara CountyThe Superior Court of Santa Clara County is the California Superior Court for Santa Clara County.-Judges:The current judges are:* Joyce Allegro* Mary Arand* Kenneth Paul Barnum* Thang Nguyen Barrett* Paul R. Bernal* Susan Bernardini* Arthur Bocanegra...
, Santa Clara County, CaliforniaSanta Clara County, CaliforniaSanta Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley... - Superior Court of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz County, CaliforniaSanta Cruz County, CaliforniaSanta Cruz County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, on the California Central Coast. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay. . As of the 2010 U.S. Census, its population was 262,382. The county seat is Santa Cruz...
- Superior Court of Shasta County, Shasta County, CaliforniaShasta County, CaliforniaShasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...
- Superior Court of Sierra County, Sierra County, CaliforniaSierra County, CaliforniaSierra County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada. As of the 2010 census the population was 3,240, down from 3,555 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Downieville....
- Superior Court of Siskiyou County, Siskiyou County, CaliforniaSiskiyou County, CaliforniaSiskiyou County is a county located in the far northernmost part of the U.S. state of California, in the Shasta Cascade region on the Oregon border. Yreka is the county seat. Because of its substantial natural beauty, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Gold Rush era history, it is an important...
- Superior Court of Solano County, Solano County, CaliforniaSolano County, CaliforniaSolano County is a county located in Bay-Delta region of the U.S. state of California, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento and is one of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. The county's population was reported by the U.S. Census to be 413,344 in 2010...
- Superior Court of Sonoma County, Sonoma County, CaliforniaSonoma County, CaliforniaSonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
- Superior Court of Stanislaus County, Stanislaus County, CaliforniaStanislaus County, CaliforniaStanislaus County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. As the price of housing has increased in the San Francisco Bay Area, many people who work in the southern reaches of the Bay Area have opted for the longer commute and moved to Stanislaus County for the...
- Superior Court of Sutter County, Sutter County, CaliforniaSutter County, CaliforniaSutter County is a county located along the Sacramento River in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of state capital Sacramento. Sutter County is part of the Greater Sacramento CSA....
- Superior Court of Tehama County, Tehama County, CaliforniaTehama County, CaliforniaTehama County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. It is bisected by the Sacramento River. As of 2010 its population was 63,463, up from 56,039 as of 2000. The county seat is Red Bluff.-History:...
- Superior Court of Trinity County, Trinity County, CaliforniaTrinity County, CaliforniaTrinity County is a large, rugged and mountainous, heavily forested county located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of California, along the Trinity River and within the Salmon/Klamath Mountains. It covers an area of over two million acres , and as of the 2010 census its population...
- Superior Court of Tulare County, Tulare County, CaliforniaTulare County, CaliforniaTulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
- Superior Court of Tuolumne County, Tuolumne County, CaliforniaTuolumne County, CaliforniaTuolumne County is a county in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The northern half of Yosemite National Park is located in the eastern part of the county. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,365, up from 54,501 at the 2000 census...
- Superior Court of Ventura County, Ventura County, CaliforniaVentura County, CaliforniaVentura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
- Superior Court of Yolo County, Yolo County, CaliforniaYolo County, CaliforniaYolo County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, bordered by the other counties of Sacramento, Solano, Napa, Lake, Colusa, and Sutter. The city of Woodland is its county seat, though Davis is its largest city....
- Superior Court of Yuba County, Yuba County, CaliforniaYuba County, CaliforniaYuba County is a county located in the U.S. state of California's Central Valley, north of Sacramento, along the Feather River. As of the 2010 census, its population was 72,155. The county seat is Marysville. Yuba County is part of the Greater Sacramento area.-History:Yuba County was one of the...
External links
- Judicial Council of California website
- Locations and contact information of all Superior Courts statewide, from the Judicial Council
- California Trial Court Roster, listing officers of all trial courts statewide, from the Judicial Council