California Court of Appeal
Encyclopedia
The California Courts of Appeal are the state intermediate appellate courts
in the U.S. state
of California
. The state is geographically divided into six appellate districts. The Courts of Appeal form the largest state-level intermediate appellate court system in the United States, with 105 justices.
, and both the Courts of Appeal and the Superior Courts are bound by the decisions of the Supreme Court of California
. Notably, all published California appellate decisions are binding on all trial courts, (distinct from the practice in the federal courts
and in other state court systems in which trial courts are bound only by the appellate decisions from the particular circuit in which it sits, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States
or the state supreme court
). Court of Appeal decisions are not binding between divisions or even between panels of the same division.
It is customary in federal courts and other state courts to indicate in case citations the particular circuit or district of an intermediate appellate court that issued the decision cited. But because the decisions of all six California appellate districts are equally binding upon all trial courts, district numbers are traditionally omitted in California citation style unless an actual interdistrict conflict is at issue.
All California appellate courts are required by the California Constitution
to decide criminal cases in writing with reasons stated (meaning that even in criminal appeals where the defendant's own lawyer has tacitly conceded that the appeal has no merit, the appellate decision must summarize the facts and law of the case and review possible issues independently before concluding that the appeal is without merit). Such procedure is not mandated for civil cases, but for certain types of civil cases where a liberty interest is implicated, the Courts of Appeal may, but are not required to, follow a similar procedure. Most Court of Appeal opinions are not published and have no precedential value; the opinions that are published are included in the California Appellate Reports.
Due to their huge caseloads and volume of output, the Courts of Appeal in turn see the largest number of decisions appealed to the state supreme court and the Supreme Court of the United States. A few famous U.S. Supreme Court cases, such as Burnham v. Superior Court of California
, came to the high court on writ of certiorari
to one of the Courts of Appeal after the state supreme court had denied review. Many Court of Appeal opinions have become nationally prominent in their own right, such as the 1959 opinion that carved out the first judge-made exception to the at-will employment
doctrine, the 1980 opinion that authorized a cause of action for wrongful life
, and the 1984 opinion that created the right to Cumis counsel
.
originally made the Supreme Court
the only appellate court for the whole state. As the state's population skyrocketed during the 19th century, the Supreme Court was expanded from three to seven justices, and then the Court began hearing the majority of appeals in three-justice panels. The Court became so overloaded that it frequently issued summary dispositions in minor cases, meaning that it was merely saying "affirmed" or "reversed" without saying why. The state's second Constitution, enacted in 1879, halted that practice by expressly requiring the Court to issue every dispositive decision in writing "with reasons stated." In 1889, the Legislature authorized the Supreme Court to appoint five commissioners to help with its work.
Despite implementing all these measures, the Supreme Court was no longer able to keep up with the state's rapidly growing appellate caseload by the end of the 19th century. Accordingly, in 1903, the Legislature
proposed a constitutional amendment to create what were then called the District Courts of Appeal. On November 8, 1904, the electorate adopted the amendment.
The District Courts of Appeal originally consisted of three appellate districts, headquartered in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, with three justices each. These first nine justices were appointed by the Governor. Each district was assigned an ordinal number (i.e., first, second, and third).
In 1966, the word "District" was dropped from the official names of the Courts of Appeal. Since then, each of them has been named officially as "the Court of Appeal of the State of California" for a particular appellate district.
Some of the appellate districts
(First and Second) are divided into divisions that have four appellate justices, who are randomly selected to form three-justice panels for each appellate case, and whose workloads are divided semi-randomly to ensure even division of work. Some of the appellate districts (Third, Fifth, and Sixth) are not divided into divisions; for each appellate case, three-justice panels are semi-randomly drawn, again to ensure even division of work. The Fourth District is unique in that it is divided into three geographically-based divisions that are administratively separate, each of which works much like the Third, Fifth, and Sixth Districts. When the presiding justice of a district or division is part of the three-justice panel, he/she serves as the presiding justice on the case. When the presiding justice is not part of the three-justice panel, the senior justice of the three-justice panel serves as the acting presiding justice on the case.
The First, Second, and Third Districts each have one big courtroom at their main courthouses which they share with the Supreme Court of California. Therefore, on a typical weekday, the courtrooms of those districts will have three Court of Appeal justices seated at an extra-wide bench large enough to accommodate the seven justices of the Supreme Court.
The California Court of Appeal for the First District is one of the first three appellate districts created in 1904 and is located in San Francisco. Its jurisdiction is over the following counties: Alameda
, Contra Costa
, Del Norte
, Humboldt
, Lake
, Marin
, Mendocino
, Napa
, San Francisco
, San Mateo
, Solano
, and Sonoma
. It is divided into five non-geographical divisions with four justices each:
Division One:
Division Two:
Division Three:
Division Four:
Division Five:
Clerk/Administrator: Diana J. Herbert
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Susan Graham
The California Court of Appeal for the Second District is one of the first three appellate districts created in 1904 and has its main courthouse in Los Angeles
and the secondary courthouse, hosting Division Six, in Ventura
. Division Six handles appeals from San Luis Obispo
, Santa Barbara
, and Ventura
Counties, while Divisions One through Five, Seven, and Eight handle appeals from Los Angeles County
. Each division has four justices.
Division One:
Division Two:
Division Three:
Division Four:
Division Five:
Division Six:
Division Seven:
Division Eight:
Clerk/Administrator: Joseph A. Lane
Assistant Clerk/Administrators: Daniel P. Potter and Paul McGill
The California Court of Appeal for the Third District is one of the first three appellate districts created in 1904 and is located in Sacramento
. Its jurisdiction is over the following counties: Alpine
, Amador
, Butte
, Calaveras
, Colusa
, El Dorado
, Glenn
, Lassen
, Modoc
, Mono
, Nevada
, Placer
, Plumas
, Sacramento
, San Joaquin
, Shasta
, Sierra
, Siskiyou
, Sutter
, Tehama
, Trinity
, Yolo
, and Yuba
. It has 11 justices and is not divided into divisions.
Justices:
Clerk/Administrator: Deena C. Fawcett
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Colete Bruggman
and San Diego
Counties. It has 10 justices.
Justices:
Clerk/Administrator: Stephen M. Kelly
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Kevin J. Lane
. It handles appeals from Inyo
, Riverside
, and San Bernardino
Counties. It has seven justices.
Justices:
. It handles appeals from Orange County
. It has eight justices.
Justices:
The California Court of Appeal for the Fifth District is located in Fresno
. Its jurisdiction covers the following counties: Fresno
, Kern
, Kings
, Madera
, Mariposa
, Merced
, Stanislaus
, Tulare
, and Tuolumne
. It has 10 justices.
Justices:
building in San José
. Its jurisdiction covers Monterey
, San Benito
, Santa Clara
, and Santa Cruz
Counties. It has seven justices.
Justices:
Clerk/Administrator: Michael J Yerly
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Corrine Pochop
Appellate court
An appellate court, commonly called an appeals court or court of appeals or appeal court , is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal...
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...
. The state is geographically divided into six appellate districts. The Courts of Appeal form the largest state-level intermediate appellate court system in the United States, with 105 justices.
Jurisdiction and responsibility
The decisions of the Courts of Appeal are binding on the Superior Courts of CaliforniaSuperior Courts of California
The Superior Courts of California are the superior courts 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...
, and both the Courts of Appeal and the Superior Courts are bound by the decisions of 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:...
. Notably, all published California appellate decisions are binding on all trial courts, (distinct from the practice in the federal courts
United States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
and in other state court systems in which trial courts are bound only by the appellate decisions from the particular circuit in which it sits, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
or the state supreme court
State supreme court
In the United States, the state supreme court is the highest state court in the state court system ....
). Court of Appeal decisions are not binding between divisions or even between panels of the same division.
It is customary in federal courts and other state courts to indicate in case citations the particular circuit or district of an intermediate appellate court that issued the decision cited. But because the decisions of all six California appellate districts are equally binding upon all trial courts, district numbers are traditionally omitted in California citation style unless an actual interdistrict conflict is at issue.
All California appellate courts are required 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...
to decide criminal cases in writing with reasons stated (meaning that even in criminal appeals where the defendant's own lawyer has tacitly conceded that the appeal has no merit, the appellate decision must summarize the facts and law of the case and review possible issues independently before concluding that the appeal is without merit). Such procedure is not mandated for civil cases, but for certain types of civil cases where a liberty interest is implicated, the Courts of Appeal may, but are not required to, follow a similar procedure. Most Court of Appeal opinions are not published and have no precedential value; the opinions that are published are included in the California Appellate Reports.
Due to their huge caseloads and volume of output, the Courts of Appeal in turn see the largest number of decisions appealed to the state supreme court and the Supreme Court of the United States. A few famous U.S. Supreme Court cases, such as 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...
, came to the high court on writ of certiorari
Certiorari
Certiorari is a type of writ seeking judicial review, recognized in U.S., Roman, English, Philippine, and other law. Certiorari is the present passive infinitive of the Latin certiorare...
to one of the Courts of Appeal after the state supreme court had denied review. Many Court of Appeal opinions have become nationally prominent in their own right, such as the 1959 opinion that carved out the first judge-made exception to the at-will employment
At-will employment
At-will employment is a doctrine of American law that defines anemployment relationship in which either party can break the relationship with no liability, provided there was no express contract for a definite term governing the employment relationship and that the employer does not belong to a...
doctrine, the 1980 opinion that authorized a cause of action for wrongful life
Wrongful life
Wrongful life is the name given to a legal action in which someone is sued by a severely disabled child for failing to prevent the child's birth....
, and the 1984 opinion that created the right to Cumis counsel
Cumis counsel
A Cumis counsel is "an attorney employed by a defendant in a lawsuit when there is an insurance policy supposedly covering the claim, but there is a conflict of interest between the insurance company and the insured defendant."...
.
History
The 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...
originally made the Supreme Court
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:...
the only appellate court for the whole state. As the state's population skyrocketed during the 19th century, the Supreme Court was expanded from three to seven justices, and then the Court began hearing the majority of appeals in three-justice panels. The Court became so overloaded that it frequently issued summary dispositions in minor cases, meaning that it was merely saying "affirmed" or "reversed" without saying why. The state's second Constitution, enacted in 1879, halted that practice by expressly requiring the Court to issue every dispositive decision in writing "with reasons stated." In 1889, the Legislature authorized the Supreme Court to appoint five commissioners to help with its work.
Despite implementing all these measures, the Supreme Court was no longer able to keep up with the state's rapidly growing appellate caseload by the end of the 19th century. Accordingly, in 1903, the Legislature
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
proposed a constitutional amendment to create what were then called the District Courts of Appeal. On November 8, 1904, the electorate adopted the amendment.
The District Courts of Appeal originally consisted of three appellate districts, headquartered in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, with three justices each. These first nine justices were appointed by the Governor. Each district was assigned an ordinal number (i.e., first, second, and third).
In 1966, the word "District" was dropped from the official names of the Courts of Appeal. Since then, each of them has been named officially as "the Court of Appeal of the State of California" for a particular appellate district.
Organization
When there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court of California, or if a Supreme Court justice recuses him or herself from a case, a Court of Appeal justice is temporarily assigned to hear each Supreme Court case requiring such assignment. When there are vacancies on the Court of Appeal, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court temporarily assigns a judge from the superior court to sit as a Court of Appeal justice.Some of the appellate districts
Districts in California
There are several different types of districts in California. The U.S. state of California is geographically divided into various districts for political and administrative purposes.-Congressional Districts:...
(First and Second) are divided into divisions that have four appellate justices, who are randomly selected to form three-justice panels for each appellate case, and whose workloads are divided semi-randomly to ensure even division of work. Some of the appellate districts (Third, Fifth, and Sixth) are not divided into divisions; for each appellate case, three-justice panels are semi-randomly drawn, again to ensure even division of work. The Fourth District is unique in that it is divided into three geographically-based divisions that are administratively separate, each of which works much like the Third, Fifth, and Sixth Districts. When the presiding justice of a district or division is part of the three-justice panel, he/she serves as the presiding justice on the case. When the presiding justice is not part of the three-justice panel, the senior justice of the three-justice panel serves as the acting presiding justice on the case.
The First, Second, and Third Districts each have one big courtroom at their main courthouses which they share with the Supreme Court of California. Therefore, on a typical weekday, the courtrooms of those districts will have three Court of Appeal justices seated at an extra-wide bench large enough to accommodate the seven justices of the Supreme Court.
First District
Alameda County, California
Alameda 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...
, Contra Costa
Contra Costa County, California
Contra 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...
, Del Norte
Del Norte County, California
Del 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...
, Humboldt
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt 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...
, Lake
Lake County, California
Lake 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...
, Marin
Marin County, California
Marin 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...
, Mendocino
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino 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...
, Napa
Napa County, California
Napa 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....
, San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, San Mateo
San Mateo County, California
San 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...
, Solano
Solano County, California
Solano 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...
, and Sonoma
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma 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....
. It is divided into five non-geographical divisions with four justices each:
Division One:
- James J. Marchiano, Presiding Justice
- Sandra L. Margulies, Associate Justice
- Robert L. Dondero, Associate Justice
- Kathleen M. Banke, Associate Justice
Division Two:
- J. Anthony Kline, Presiding Justice
- Paul R. Haerle, Associate Justice
- James R. Lambden, Associate Justice
- James A. Richman, Associate Justice
Division Three:
- William R. McGuinessWilliam R. McGuinessWilliam R. McGuiness is the administrative presiding justice of the California Court of Appeal, division three, in San Francisco, California. Justice McGuiness served on the Alameda County Superior Court from 1986 until 1997, when he was appointed as Associate Justice to the First Appellate...
, Presiding Justice - Stuart R. PollakStuart R. PollakStuart R. Pollak is an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, division three, in San Francisco, California.-Background:...
, Associate Justice - Peter J. Siggins, Associate Justice
- Martin J. JenkinsMartin JenkinsMartin J. Jenkins is a justice of the California Court of Appeal for the First District, located in San Francisco, and a former federal judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.-Early life:...
, Associate Justice
Division Four:
- Ignazio J. Ruvolo, Presiding Justice
- Timothy A. Reardon, Associate Justice
- Patricia K. Sepulveda, Associate Justice
- Maria P. Rivera, Associate Justice
Division Five:
- Barbara J. R. Jones, Presiding Justice
- Mark B. Simons, Associate Justice
- Henry E. Needham, Jr., Associate Justice
- Terence L. Bruiniers, Associate Justice
Clerk/Administrator: Diana J. Herbert
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Susan Graham
Second District
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and the secondary courthouse, hosting Division Six, in Ventura
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
. Division Six handles appeals from San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo County, California
San 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...
, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa 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:...
, and Ventura
Ventura County, California
Ventura 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...
Counties, while Divisions One through Five, Seven, and Eight handle appeals from Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los 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...
. Each division has four justices.
Division One:
- Robert M. Mallano, Presiding Justice
- Frances Rothschild, Associate Justice
- Victoria Gerrard Chaney, Associate Justice
- Jeffrey W. JohnsonJeffrey W. JohnsonJeffrey W. Johnson is an incumbent Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal.-Early Life and Education:...
, Associate Justice
Division Two:
- Roger W. Boren, Presiding Justice
- Kathryn Doi ToddKathryn Doi ToddKathryn Doi Todd is an Associate Justice of the California Second District Court of Appeal, Division Two, having been appointed to the post by Governor Gray Davis in 2000....
, Associate Justice - Judith M. Ashmann-Gerst, Associate Justice
- Victoria M. Chavez, Associate Justice
Division Three:
- Joan D. Klein, Presiding Justice
- H. Walter Croskey, Associate Justice
- Patti S. Kitching, Associate Justice
- Richard D. Aldrich, Associate Justice
Division Four:
- Norman L. Epstein, Presiding Justice
- Thomas L. Willhite, Jr., Associate Justice
- Nora Margaret ManellaNora Margaret ManellaNora Margaret Manella is an associate justice of the California Court of Appeal.Manella was born in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Arthur Manella, was a well-known local tax lawyer and a founding partner of Irell & Manella....
, Associate Justice - Steven C. Suzukawa, Associate Justice
Division Five:
- Paul Turner, Presiding Justice
- Orville A. Armstrong, Associate Justice
- Richard M. MoskRichard M. MoskRichard M. Mosk is an associate justice of the California Courts of Appeal, Second District. Richard M...
, Associate Justice - Sandy R. Kriegler, Associate Justice
Division Six:
- Arthur Gilbert, Presiding Justice
- Kenneth R. Yegan, Associate Justice
- Paul H. Coffee, Associate Justice
- Steven Z. Perren, Associate Justice
Division Seven:
- Dennis M. PerlussDennis M. PerlussDennis M. Perluss is the Presiding Justice of the California Second District Court of Appeal, Division Seven, having been appointed to the post by Governor Gray Davis in 2003....
, Presiding Justice - Fred Woods, Associate Justice
- Laurie D. Zelon, Associate Justice
- Frank Y. Jackson, Associate Justice
Division Eight:
- Tricia A. Bigelow, Presiding Justice
- Laurence D. Rubin, Associate Justice
- Madeleine I. Flier, Associate Justice
- Elizabeth A. GrimesElizabeth A. GrimesElizabeth Annette "Beth" Grimes is an Associate Justice of the California Second District Court of Appeal, Division Eight, having been appointed to the post by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010.-Education and legal career:...
, Associate Justice
Clerk/Administrator: Joseph A. Lane
Assistant Clerk/Administrators: Daniel P. Potter and Paul McGill
Third District
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. Its jurisdiction is over the following counties: Alpine
Alpine County, California
Alpine 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...
, Amador
Amador County, California
Amador 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...
, Butte
Butte County, California
Butte 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...
, Calaveras
Calaveras County, California
Calaveras 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...
, Colusa
Colusa County, California
Colusa 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:...
, El Dorado
El Dorado County, California
El 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....
, Glenn
Glenn County, California
Glenn 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...
, Lassen
Lassen County, California
Lassen 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...
, Modoc
Modoc County, California
Modoc 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...
, Mono
Mono County, California
Mono 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...
, Nevada
Nevada County, California
Nevada 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....
, Placer
Placer County, California
Placer 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,...
, Plumas
Plumas County, California
Plumas 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...
, Sacramento
Sacramento County, California
Sacramento 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....
, San Joaquin
San Joaquin County, California
San 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:...
, Shasta
Shasta County, California
Shasta 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...
, Sierra
Sierra County, California
Sierra 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....
, Siskiyou
Siskiyou County, California
Siskiyou 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...
, Sutter
Sutter County, California
Sutter 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....
, Tehama
Tehama County, California
Tehama 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:...
, Trinity
Trinity County, California
Trinity 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...
, Yolo
Yolo County, California
Yolo 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....
, and Yuba
Yuba County, California
Yuba 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...
. It has 11 justices and is not divided into divisions.
Justices:
- Vance W. Raye, Presiding Justice
- Coleman A. Blease, Associate Justice
- George Nicholson, Associate Justice
- Harry Hull, Associate Justice
- Ronald B. Robie, Associate Justice
- M. Kathleen Butz, Associate Justice
- Louis R. Mauro, Associate Justice
- Elena J. DuarteElena J. DuarteElena J. Duarte is an Associate Justice of the California Third District Court of Appeal, having served since December 10, 2010, after being appointed to the post by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on November 23, 2010....
, Associate Justice - Andrea L. Hoch, Associate Justice
- William J. Murray, Jr., Associate Justice
- Vacant
Clerk/Administrator: Deena C. Fawcett
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Colete Bruggman
Fourth District
The California Court of Appeal for the Fourth District is unique in that it is divided into three geographical divisions that are administratively separate, which even have different case number systems, and yet remain referred to as a single district.Division One
The Division One courthouse is located in San Diego. It handles appeals from ImperialImperial County, California
Imperial 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...
and San Diego
San Diego County, California
San 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...
Counties. It has 10 justices.
Justices:
- Judith McConnell, Presiding Justice
- Patricia D. Benke, Associate Justice
- Richard D. Huffman, Associate Justice
- Gilbert Nares, Associate Justice
- Judith L. Haller, Associate Justice
- Alex C. McDonald, Associate Justice
- James A. McIntyreJames A. McIntyreJames A. McIntyre is an Associate Justice of the California Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One, having been appointed to the post by Governor Pete Wilson in 1996. In the 1998 general election, 73.3% of California voters decided to re-elect McIntyre to the remainder of the unexpired...
, Associate Justice - Terry B. O'Rourke, Associate Justice
- Cynthia AaronCynthia AaronCynthia Aaron is an Associate Justice of the California Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One, having been appointed to the post by Governor Gray Davis in 2003....
, Associate Justice - Joan Irion, Associate Justice
Clerk/Administrator: Stephen M. Kelly
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Kevin J. Lane
Division Two
The Division Two courthouse is located in RiversideRiverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
. It handles appeals from Inyo
Inyo 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...
, Riverside
Riverside County, California
Riverside 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,...
, and San Bernardino
San Bernardino County, California
San 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...
Counties. It has seven justices.
Justices:
- Manuel A. Ramirez, Presiding Justice
- Thomas E. Hollenhorst, Associate Justice
- Art W. McKinster, Associate Justice
- Betty Ann Richli, Associate Justice
- Jeffrey King, Associate Justice
- Douglas P. Miller, Associate Justice
- Carol D. Codrington, Associate Justice
Division Three
The Division Three courthouse is located in Santa AnaSanta Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
. It handles appeals from Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange 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...
. It has eight justices.
Justices:
- (Vacant), Presiding Justice
- William F. RylaarsdamWilliam RylaarsdamWilliam F. Rylaarsdam is an Associate Justice on the Fourth District, Division Three of the California Courts of Appeal. He was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson and, after his confirmation, took the oath of office on April 10, 1995...
, Acting Presiding Justice - William W. BedsworthWilliam W. BedsworthWilliam W. Bedsworth is an incumbent Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal.-Background:Justice Bedsworth grew up in Gardena, California. He lives in Laguna Beach and is married to Kelly...
, Associate Justice - Kathleen E. O'Leary, Associate Justice
- Eileen C. Moore, Associate Justice
- Richard M. Aronson, Associate Justice
- Richard F. Fybel, Associate Justice
- Raymond J. Ikola, Associate Justice
History
The Fourth District was formed by a division of the Second District pursuant to legislation enacted sometime before October 16, 1929. The first decision made by the Fourth District was on October 16, 1929, in the case of Mills v. Mills, (1929) 101 Cal.App. 248, [281 P. 707.]Fifth District
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
. Its jurisdiction covers the following counties: Fresno
Fresno County, California
Fresno 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...
, Kern
Kern County, California
Spreading 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...
, Kings
Kings County, California
Kings 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...
, Madera
Madera County, California
Madera 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...
, Mariposa
Mariposa, California
Mariposa is a census-designated place in and the county seat of Mariposa County, California, United States. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census, up from 1,373 at the 2000 census. Its name is Spanish for "butterfly", after the flocks of Monarchs seen overwintering there by early...
, Merced
Merced County, California
Merced 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...
, Stanislaus
Stanislaus County, California
Stanislaus 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...
, Tulare
Tulare County, California
Tulare 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...
, and Tuolumne
Tuolumne County, California
Tuolumne 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...
. It has 10 justices.
Justices:
- Brad R. Hill, Presiding Justice
- Rebecca A. Wiseman, Associate Justice
- Bert Levy, Associate Justice
- Dennis A. CornellDennis A. CornellDennis A. Cornell is an Associate Justice of the California Fifth District Court of Appeal, having been appointed to the post by Governor Gray Davis in 2000....
, Associate Justice - Gene M. Gomes, Associate Justice
- Betty L. Dawson, Associate Justice
- Stephen J. Kane, Associate Justice
- Charles S. Poochigian, Associate Justice
- Jennifer R.S. Detjen, Associate Justice
- Donald R. Franson, Jr., Associate Justice
History
The Fifth District was formed by a division of the Third District pursuant to legislation enacted in 1961 (Stats.1961, c. 845, p. 2128, § 7). The first decision made by the Fifth District was on November 21, 1961, in the case of Wheat v. Morse, (1961) 17 Cal.Rptr. 226, [197 Cal.App.2d 203.]Sixth District
The California Court of Appeal for the Sixth District is located in the Comerica BankComerica
Comerica Incorporated is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA. It has retail banking operations in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Texas; and select business operations in several other U.S...
building in San José
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
. Its jurisdiction covers Monterey
Monterey County, California
Monterey 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...
, San Benito
San Benito County, California
San 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...
, Santa Clara
Santa Clara County, California
Santa 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...
, and Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa 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...
Counties. It has seven justices.
Justices:
- Conrad L. Rushing, Presiding Justice
- Eugene M. PremoEugene M. PremoEugene M. Premo is a Justice on the California Courts of Appeal, Sixth District. He Graduated from Santa Clara University in 1957. In 1962 graduated with LL.B. Degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. In 1988 he was appointed to a newly created position on the court of Appeal, sixth...
, Associate Justice - Franklin D. Elia, Associate Justice
- Patricia Bamattre-Manoukian, Associate Justice
- Nathan D. Mihara, Associate Justice
- Wendy Clark Duffy, Associate Justice
- Vacant
Clerk/Administrator: Michael J Yerly
Assistant Clerk/Administrator: Corrine Pochop
History
The Sixth District was formed by a division of the First District pursuant to legislation enacted in 1981 (Stats.1981, c. 959, p. 3645, § 5). The first decision made by the Sixth District was on December 13, 1984, in the case of People v. Dickens, (1984) 163 Cal.App.3d 377, [208 Cal.Rptr. 751.]See also
- Supreme Court of CaliforniaSupreme Court of CaliforniaThe 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:...
- Court of AppealsCourt of AppealsA court of appeals is an appellate court generally.Court of Appeals may refer to:*Military Court of Appeals *Corte d'Assise d'Appello *Philippine Court of Appeals*High Court of Appeals of Turkey*United States courts of appeals...
- Districts in CaliforniaDistricts in CaliforniaThere are several different types of districts in California. The U.S. state of California is geographically divided into various districts for political and administrative purposes.-Congressional Districts:...