A basic knowledge of California courts can be beneficial if you ever find yourself in the courtroom. All too often individuals and businesses find the need to file a lawsuit, or are at the receiving end of a lawsuit, and their lack of knowledge on how the court system works leaves them lost in the proceedings.

It’s important to know that there are multiple courts in each state that handle different types of cases. Each of these courts has a judge that administer the law and case process. When considering CA local courts, keep the following in mind:

1. The California local court structure has three tiers: superior courts, the Court of Appeals and the State Supreme Court.

2. Each of the 58 counties in California maintains a trial court, such as the San Diego Superior Court.

3. Factors such as where the parties reside and the type of case determine jurisdiction for local courts in California.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Discover which CA local court serves your area

There are 58 counties in California and each contains a superior (trial) court. Most individuals will deal with a superior court in California because of a traffic violation. Additionally, there is the California Court of Appeals and State Supreme Court. The superior courts hear appeals on small claims cases, civil cases dealing with $25,000 or less and misdemeanors. All other appeals filed on superior court decisions go to the Court of Appeals, unless the Supreme Court claims jurisdiction. The Supreme Court also hears all appeals filed on Court of Appeals decisions.

I recommend: To find location information, telephone numbers and a link to websites for California superior courts, listed by county, and the six Courts of Appeals, visit the Find a Court page on the California Courts website. County Superior Court websites contain useful information to assist you in your case. For example, the Los Angeles Superior Court provides an e-filing system for small claims cases.

Determine which division of the California local courts system is appropriate for your case

Superior courts in California have various divisions for different case styles. Typically, most superior courts maintain the following divisions: circuit, associate, family, probate, small claims, traffic, criminal and juvenile. The circuit and associate divisions mostly hear civil cases. The small claims division deals with civil lawsuits, but only in cases where the amount sought is $7,500 or less, depending on the situation. The probate division handles estates, wills and conservatorships. The family, juvenile and criminal divisions handle cases as their titles indicate.

I recommend: Access the case forms database on the California Courts website to help you start the case filing process. The San Francisco local court, that is, the Superior Court of California – County of San Francisco, provides detailed information about each division it contains, including the probate division.

Serve as a jury member for local courts in CA

To determine potential jury members for a case, the county draws names from individuals registered to vote in California and those who maintain a valid driver's license or state ID. Jurors are necessary when the case goes to trial and the parties agree to have the trial heard before a jury. Attorneys for each party involved in a case ask questions of all prospective jurors and then choose those individuals that will serve as jurors for the trial based upon the answers individuals provide. Jurors receive payment in the amount of $15 a day, beginning on the second day of service.

I recommend: Before serving as a juror, read the Juror Basics page provided by California Courts. Additionally, you should access the jury service information for your local court in California. Click on “Local Jury Info” on the left side of the Juror Basics page to access links to county websites with jury information. Most counties, such as the Superior Court of California – County of Glenn, provide detailed information about jury selection and expectations for a trial.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Regardless of how much knowledge you have of California courts, you should hire an attorney who specializes in your specific type of case to represent you.