The California Superior Courts are the state trial courts that have the general jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal trials which cannot be heard in other courts.
How Many Superior Courts Are There?
There are 58 superior courts in California which means that each county in California has a superior court. Some people refer to the superior courts as trial courts.
Jurisdiction
Before 1998, the trial courts in California were divided into two courts: the superior court and municipal court. Each court had their own jurisdiction specified by the Legislature. In 1998, voters of California approved a constitutional amendment to merge the two courts in each county into a single superior court with jurisdiction over all case types. This merger allowed greater flexibility in case management and saved the taxpayers money.
The Superior Courts of California are the lowest level of the state courts.
Judge of the Superior Court in California has jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. They will also hear motions, hearings, criminal and civil trials. More than 6 million cases were filed in these courts from 2015 to 2016.
Judges
California has 1,498 judges statewide. The California Legislature determines the number of judges in each court. Each judge of the Superior Court in California are elected by California voters and can serve a term of six years. If a vacancy occurs, it is filled by someone who is appointed by the Governor of California.
All Judges of the Superior Court in California must be an attorney admitted to practice law in the state of California.
Role of the Court
Each superior court decides cases by either a judge or a jury and applies the law to the facts presented in each case. Decisions made by a Superior court judge or jury can be appealed to an appellate court.
