Courts in California
| More information on California's state courts: |
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| Selection methods Elections Salaries Federal courts |
In California, there are four federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes which are outlined in the sections below.
Judicial selection process
California uses two different systems for its selection of state court judges. The state's appellate judges are chosen by gubernatorial appointment followed by commission confirmation. Trial judges are elected by popular nonpartisan vote.[1]
Judges of the California Supreme Court and California Courts of Appeal stand for retention during the next gubernatorial election following their appointment. If a newly appointed judge's predecessor left the court before finishing a full 12-year term, the new judge will stand for retention to complete the remainder of their predecessor's term rather than for a full 12-year term.[2] Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected to six-year terms.
To read more about judicial elections in California, click here.
Federal courts
The federal district courts in California are the:
- United States District Court for the Central District of California
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
- United States District Court for the Northern District of California
- United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Appeals from these districts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Active judges
Central District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 17, 1985 - |
Lehigh University, 1963 |
Brooklyn Law School, 1967 |
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| October 22, 1998 - |
University of California, Los Angeles, 1967 |
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1972 |
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| May 1, 2002 - |
Loyola University of Los Angeles, 1966 |
Loyola University School of Law, Los Angeles, 1969 |
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| May 1, 2002 - |
University of California, Los Angeles, 1970 |
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1975 |
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| November 15, 2002 - |
University of Notre Dame, 1964 |
Loyola Law School, 1967 |
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| February 16, 2007 - |
University of Notre Dame, 1981 |
UCLA School of Law, 1984 |
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| April 16, 2007 - |
California State University, Los Angeles, 1976 |
Southwestern School of Law, 1980 |
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| January 4, 2010 - |
University of California, Los Angeles, 1981 |
University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, 1984 |
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| June 22, 2010 - |
William Jewell College, 1983 |
Harvard Law School, 1986 |
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| March 15, 2012 - |
Harvard, 1981 |
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1985 |
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| December 12, 2012 - |
Yale, 1986 |
Stanford Law, 1989 |
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| January 16, 2013 - |
Harvard, 1985 |
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1989 |
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| August 8, 2014 - |
Tufts University, 1987 |
Pepperdine University Law School, 1991 |
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| September 18, 2020 - |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1984 |
Harvard Law School, 1993 |
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| September 18, 2020 - |
Syracuse University, 1987 |
Georgetown University Law Center, 1996 |
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| September 18, 2020 - |
State University of New York, Binghamton, 1984 |
University of California, Los Angeles, 1988 |
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| December 22, 2020 - |
Princeton University, 1983 |
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1986 |
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| February 7, 2022 - |
Harvard University |
Yale Law School |
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| April 19, 2022 - |
University of California, Los Angeles |
University of California, Los Angeles |
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| June 14, 2022 - |
Stanford University |
Stanford Law School |
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| June 24, 2022 - |
University of California, Riverside |
Harvard Law School |
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| May 12, 2023 - |
Yale University |
Yale University |
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| June 15, 2023 - |
Stanford University, 1991 |
UCLA School of Law, 1994 |
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| November 17, 2023 - |
UCLA, 1993 |
Harvard School of Law, 1996 |
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| November 21, 2023 - |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 15
- Republican appointed: 10
Eastern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 21, 2010 - |
Pomona College, 1981 |
Stanford Law School, 1995 |
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| March 26, 2013 - |
St. Mary's College of California, 1986 |
University of California, 1990 |
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| November 2, 2015 - |
California State University, San Diego, 1977 |
University of California, Los Angeles, 1980 |
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| December 27, 2021 - |
California State University, 1989 |
California Pacific Law, 1997 |
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| February 21, 2023 - |
Princeton University |
University of Chicago Law School |
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| February 7, 2024 - |
Columbia University, 1990 |
Harvard Law School, 1995 |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 6
- Republican appointed: 0
Northern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 4, 2010 - |
Yale College, 1978 |
Columbia University School of Law, 1981 |
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| March 3, 2011 - |
California State University, San Diego, 1976 |
University of California, 1979 |
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| November 21, 2011 - |
Princeton University, 1987 |
University of Texas Law, 1991 |
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| January 18, 2013 - |
Williams College, 1984 |
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1989 |
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| February 26, 2014 - |
University of California, Berkeley, 1976 |
Harvard Law, 1979 |
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| February 26, 2014 - |
University of California, Berkeley, 1983 |
Stanford Law, 1988 |
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| March 7, 2014 - |
University of California, Santa Cruz, 1991 |
University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1998 |
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| December 19, 2014 - |
Yale University, 1991 |
Stanford Law School, 1994 |
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| March 30, 2022 - |
University of California, Berkeley |
Harvard Law School |
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| August 5, 2022 - |
University of California, Berkeley |
University of California, Berkeley |
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| March 3, 2023 - |
Princeton University, 1999 |
University of California, Berkeley School of Law, 2004 |
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| July 7, 2023 - |
Yale University, 2003 |
Yale Law School, 2008 |
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| October 4, 2023 - |
Harvard College |
Harvard Law School |
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| May 7, 2024 - |
Pomona College |
Georgetown University Law Center |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 14
- Republican appointed: 0
Southern District
| Judge | Appointed By | Assumed Office | Bachelors | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2003 - |
San Diego State University, 1980 |
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 1985 |
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| September 21, 2007 - |
Occidental College, 1972 |
University of Notre Dame Law School, 1975 |
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| February 10, 2012 - |
Rutgers University, 1980 |
University of Michigan Law, 1988 |
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| May 8, 2014 - |
Smith College, 1982 |
University of California, 1986 |
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| September 18, 2020 - |
University of California, Berkeley, 1989 |
Georgetown University Law Center, 1993 |
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| December 21, 2021 - |
University of Miami School of Law |
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| December 27, 2021 - |
Yale University, 1998 |
New York University School of Law, 2001 |
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| March 30, 2022 - |
Clarion University, 1989 |
University of California, Los Angeles, 1992 |
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| June 14, 2022 - |
Calvin College, 1998 |
Yale Law School, 2002 |
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| March 10, 2023 - |
Dartmouth College, 1994 |
Harvard Law School, 1997 |
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| March 10, 2023 - |
University of California, Berkeley |
Golden Gate University |
The list below displays the number of active judges by the party of the appointing president. It does not reflect how a judge may rule on specific cases or their own political preferences.
- Democrat appointed: 8
- Republican appointed: 3
District map
Judicial selection
Judges who sit on the federal district courts are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate. These judges serve life terms. To read more about the judges on these courts, click here.
Bankruptcy courts
There are four federal bankruptcy courts in California. The bankruptcy courts serve the same boundaries as the corresponding federal district courts. These courts have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal bankruptcy courts in California are:
- United States bankruptcy court, Central District of California
- United States bankruptcy court, Eastern District of California
- United States bankruptcy court, Northern District of California
- United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of California
State supreme court
- See also: California Supreme Court
Founded in 1849, the California Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships. The current chief of the court is Patricia Guerrero.
As of January 2023, six judges on the court were appointed by Democratic governors and one judge was appointed by a Republican governor.
The following judges sit on the court:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Supreme Court | Carol Corrigan | Nonpartisan | 2006 |
| California Supreme Court | Kelli M. Evans | Nonpartisan | January 2, 2023 |
| California Supreme Court | Joshua Groban | Nonpartisan | December 21, 2018 |
| California Supreme Court | Martin J. Jenkins | Nonpartisan | December 4, 2020 |
| California Supreme Court | Leondra Kruger | Nonpartisan | 2015 |
| California Supreme Court | Goodwin Liu | Nonpartisan | September 1, 2011 |
| California Supreme Court Chief Justice | Patricia Guerrero | Nonpartisan | January 2, 2023 |
State court of appeals
- See also: California Courts of Appeal
The California Courts of Appeal are the intermediate appellate courts in California. The courts are divided into six judicial districts. Most of the cases that come before the courts of appeal involve the review of a superior court decision that is being contested by a party to the case.[3][4]
The following judges sit on the court:
First District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 10, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
Gavin Newsom |
||
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 30, 2021 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2009 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
January 30, 2024 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2006 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
November 30, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
May 14, 2024 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2001 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 30, 2021 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
Second District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
1983 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 3, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
December 27, 1990 - Present |
George Deukmejian |
|
|
April 17, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
July 1, 2009 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
April 4, 2005 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
November 30, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
May 22, 2015 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 28, 2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2001 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
October 28, 2005 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2015 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2017 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 8, 2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
April 17, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
April 4, 2005 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
December 21, 2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
June 28, 2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
April 17, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
December 21, 2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
May 22, 2015 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
June 1, 2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2015 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
May 14, 2024 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
July 10, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
April 5, 2010 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
November 30, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
Third District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
January 15, 2002 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
February 9, 1998 - Present |
Pete Wilson |
|
|
November 23, 2010 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
August 11, 2010 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
August 28, 2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 4, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
January 6, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
January 30, 2024 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
March 20, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
Fourth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 9, 2017 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
December 7, 1988 - Present |
Pete Wilson |
|
|
October 13, 1988 - Present |
George Deukmejian |
|
|
September 25, 2003 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
January 14, 2021 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
May 27, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
October 3, 2001 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
April 7, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
April 7, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
February 22, 2016 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
February 9, 2017 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
December 27, 1990 - Present |
George Deukmejian |
|
|
June 9, 2006 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
August 25, 2010 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
December 27, 1990 - Present |
George Deukmejian |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
January 6, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
June 16, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
January 21, 2000 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
December 22, 2000 - Present |
Gray Davis |
|
|
April 15, 1997 - Present |
Pete Wilson |
|
|
October 11, 2022 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
June 23, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
Fifth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2014 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2010 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2006 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2009 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
2010 - Present |
Arnold Schwarzenegger |
|
|
August 5, 1997 - Present |
Pete Wilson |
|
|
2012 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2017 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
Sixth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2012 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
2018 - Present |
Jerry Brown |
|
|
1989 - Present |
George Deukmejian |
|
|
January 13, 2023 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
August 30, 2021 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
|
|
August 30, 2021 - Present |
Gavin Newsom |
Trial courts
Superior courts
- See also: California Superior Courts
The California Superior Courts are the trial courts of the California court system. Each of California's 58 counties has a superior, or trial, court. Trials take place in the California Superior Court system in more than 450 courthouses. The superior courts hear civil and criminal cases, as well as family, probate, and juvenile cases.[5]
In other states
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: California," archived October 2, 2014
- ↑ California Secretary of State, "Justices of the Supreme Court," accessed April 10, 2023
- ↑ California Courts, "About the 1st District," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ California Courts, "About California Courts," accessed March 3, 2021
- ↑ California Courts website
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California
State courts:
California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts
State resources:
Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California
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