Overview

Welcome to the Sacramento Superior Court's Temporary Judge Program web pages. Through this program the court maintains a panel of trained, qualified, and experienced attorneys who may serve as temporary judges in the areas of Family Law, Traffic, and Small Claims.

Family Law

The court uses temporary judges to preside over the Family Law Settlement Conference Program at the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse. This program provides facilitated settlement conferences for those cases scheduled for a contested family law trial. Each Settlement Conference uses two temporary judges, working in tandem, to help parties resolve their issues short of trial. The Family Law Settlement Conference Program is one of the most valuable forms of alternative dispute resolution in the Sacramento Superior Court.

Traffic

Temporary judges volunteering their services in the Traffic division of the court will serve at the Carol Miller Justice Center. With approximately 98,000 infraction cases filed in 2021 in Sacramento, the Traffic division is one of the busiest areas in the court. Temporary judges serve by presiding as a trial judge, hearing law and motion matters only as they pertain to the trial before them.

Small Claims

The Sacramento Superior Court filed approximately 2,300 new small claims cases in 2021. It is in this venue that most citizens resolve their civil disputes. Temporary judges serving in the Small Claims division preside over trials, hearing only such law and motion matters as may pertain to the trial before them.

Requirements (CRC 2.812 - external link)

• Attorney has been admitted to practice as a member of the State Bar of California for at least 10 years
• is a member in good standing of the State Bar and has no disciplinary action pending
• has not pled guilty or no contest to a felony, or has not been convicted of a felony that has not been reversed
• has satisfied the education and training requirements

Education and Training

• Family Law and Probate Bench Conduct and Demeanor: UPCOMING: January 31, 2025
• Ethics
• Substantive training (Family Law/Traffic/Small Claims)
  • Court Policy: A policy decision by the Presiding Judge allows attorneys who serve as temporary judges for Family Law to submit copies of certificates of completion for ten hours of MCLE approved training in the area of Family Law to meet the substantive matter training requirements. Attorney Certification Form may be used as a substitute for submitting certificates of completion.
  • The required trainings can be found here: California Courts: Temporary Judge Resources - external link
  • Trainings need to be renewed every 3 years

How to Apply (or Reapply)

• Complete, either by hand or typed, the application to serve as a temporary judge.
• Include your certificates of completion:
  • Bench Conduct & Demeanor
  • Ethics
  • Substantive Area
• If you are currently a Temporary Judge, you are required to renew your application every 3 years. Please complete the renewal application to serve as a temporary judge.
• Once complete, you may mail or email your (renewal) application packet:

  Temporary Judge Program
  720 9^th Street, Room 611
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  OR
  Email to:temjudadm@saccourt.ca.gov

Review Process

Once the Court has received your application packet, it will be routed to the supervising judge and presiding judge for review and eligibility determination. If accepted, you will be contacted to set up an Oath date and time, shadowing, and scheduling!

Additional Resources

• Rule 2.810 Temporary judges appointed by the trial courts - external link
• Rules of Professional Conduct - external link
• California Code of Judicial Ethics - external link relating to Temporary Judges: Canons 2A, 2C, 3B(5), 3B(6), 3B(8), 3C(1), 3C(2), 3C(4), 3E, 5B, 6D(3)(a), 6D(8)c) and 6D(9)(a) and (b)
• Pursuant to California Rules of Court, Rule 10.746 - external link, if you wish to lodge a complaint against a Temporary Judge: Print and complete the complaint. Handwritten and typed complaints are accepted. Upon completion, you may submit your complaint:

  Temporary Judge Program
  720 9^th Street, Room 611
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  OR
  E-mail to: temjudadm@saccourt.ca.gov