Los Angeles County was established in 1850 when California became a state. It is one of the original 27 counties in California. Today, it is one of the most populated counties in California and the United States with more than 10 million people living there. It covers an area of 4,084 square miles.
In 2014, more than 7.5 million cases were filed in California courts.
Location
The Los Angeles Superior Court in Los Angeles County serves approximately 9.5 million people. There are courtrooms spread throughout 4,084 square miles reaching from Santa Monica to Pomona and from Long Beach to Lancaster.
Today, there are 47 courthouse locations with nearly 600 courtrooms located throughout Los Angeles County.
Judges
There are 481 Los Angeles Superior Court Judges. Each judge is elected by California voters and serves a term of six years. Judge Daniel J. Buckley is the Presiding Judge in the county.
All Los Angeles Superior Court Judges must be an attorney admitted to practice law in the state of California.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judges has jurisdiction to hear criminal and civil cases. If they are in a special department, they can hear cases dealing with family law, probate, mental health, small claims, juvenile, and traffic cases.
Notable Cases
Most people recognize the name of the Los Angeles Superior Court due to the interest in the O.J. Simpson murder trial back in 1995. The trial was aired on television with millions of viewer watching the proceedings.
In 1910, the Los Angeles Times building was bombed by a union member. The subsequent explosion killed 21 newspaper employees and injured 100 more. The trial was held in Los Angeles County.
The California judicial system is the largest in the United States. Texas and New York have more judges, but not all judges are licensed practicing attorneys.
