A legal case first enters the California Court System in the Superior Court. In general terms, if the verdict of that court is challenged and the case is granted an appeal, it moves to the California Court of Appeals. If that verdict is subsequently appealed, it moves to the highest court, the California Supreme Court.
A Superior Court, or trial court, is the lowest level court in California’s court system. California has the largest Superior Court system in the United States, with a Superior Court located in each county and over 1,500 judges.
Superior Court judges hear general legal matters ranging from financial disputes, to traffic hearings, to mental health hearings and others. Superior Courts have general jurisdiction to determine legal outcomes relating to civil or criminal action. Jurisdiction is the right or power of a court, agency, or department to try a case or resolve a legal matter.
California unified all of their trial courts in 1998; thus, a Superior Court is not superior to other trial courts.
Small Claims Court
The Small Claims Court is a division of the Superior Courts. It holds hearings for financial disputes below $5,000. The purpose of these courts is to resolve relatively small financial matters amongst parties without going to a standard court.
Unlike standard court cases whereby plaintiffs or defendants typically hire attorneys to represent them , most people in Small Claims Court represent themselves. Parties are required to bring any evidence that may prove their innocence or guilt.
Decisions reached in these courts cannot be reversed; however, defendants have the legal right to appeal a decision to the Superior Court.
Superior Court’s Appellate Division
The Superior Court’s Appellate Division reviews the legal outcomes and the evidence used in a trial court hearing. The Appellate Division hears cases relating to the following:
Misdemeanor
Infraction
Small claims orders
Limited civil cases
Unlawful eviction cases
The objective of the Appellate Division is not to review evidence or hold another trial; rather, they are tasked with reviewing the legal procedures used during the Superior Court trial. If the Appellate Division finds that the Superior Court made a procedural error, the court may reverse the original decision.
