10.2: The Organization of the California Court System

The Justice System

Most of us, at one point or another in our lives, will be involved in a legal matter. This matter may involve either state or federal law or both. Most cases involve state law, which may be categorized as criminal or civil. Criminal law involves crimes against the state. The mildest crime is an infraction, such as a parking ticket. Next, misdemeanors, such as shoplifting, are more serious crimes. Most severe of all are felonies, like robbery or murder. Civil law, on the other hand, concerns cases where the matter is between people, a divorce, or perhaps a disagreement with an insurance company. Even during the pandemic, in the 2020-21 fiscal year, the California Court system managed about 4.1 million cases.

A criminal or civil case begins in a local trial (superior) court. There is one superior court for each of the fifty-eight counties (with each superior court having many judges). Most cases do not go to trial. Criminal attorneys will prompt their clients to reach plea bargains before trial, and civil attorneys will reach settlements, often saving thousands of dollars in legal costs. For example, a defendant charged with a minor narcotics offense may agree to an alternative such as drug treatment. In the last few decades, many superior courts have specialized collaborative courts that help people receive social services as the court addresses their cases. For example, country social workers offer help to victims of domestic violence.

A case may be appealed to the next level, the California Courts of Appeal. The state is divided into six districts, each court hearing cases for its area. From there, a case may be appealed to the California Supreme Court. Death penalty cases are automatically appealed from the district court level to the high court. If federal law is relevant, a case may be appealed to the United States Courts, with the US Supreme Court having the ultimate review.

The Judicial Council of California oversees the three-level court system by formulating and implementing policies and procedures to manage the courts consistently across the state. As an administrative agency, the Council is headed by the Chief Justice. It comprises twenty-one members, including other justices from the Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeals, the superior courts, members of the state legislatures, and attorneys.

 

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): The California Judicial System (public domain; Judicial Council)

A case usually begins at the trial court level. In the 2020-21 fiscal year, about 5.3 million cases were filed in these local courts, administered by 1,755 judges. In contrast, the Courts of Appeal, with just 106 justices, managed 17,889 cases. The one chief justice and six associate justices at the highest level, the Supreme Court, only issued seventy-eight opinions (“About California Courts”).