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Temporary Judge Program

About

Colusa County Superior Court is creating a Temporary Judge Program. The program will commence on January 1, 2020. The Court invites qualified attorneys to join the new panel of temporary judges. Qualified attorneys will preside over various types of cases, including Small Claims, Traffic, Unlawful Detainers and Family Law.

The Court seeks to maximize the potential for a diverse applicant pool. The Court encourages each and every eligible attorney to apply to be a temporary judge regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, age or other protected class. Among the qualifications that the Court will consider in the selection process is an applicant’s exposure to and experience with diverse populations and issues related to those populations.

Temporary judges are used at the discretion of the Presiding Judge. Neither appointment nor service as a temporary judge creates an employment relationship with the Court.

Requirements

The following requirements must be met in order to receive certification from Colusa County Superior Court to sit as a Temporary Judge:

  • You must be an attorney in good standing with the California State Bar with no disciplinary action pending, no felony convictions, and have been admitted to practice at least 10 years before the appointment. For good cause, the Presiding Judge may permit an attorney admitted to practice for at least 5 years to qualify.
  • Fill out and submit the Temporary Judge Application. The Temporary Judge Program application is fillable and available on this website by using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, you may download the application for free from Adobe’s Website. Handwritten applications will not be accepted.
  • Attorneys must complete training hours as indicated below:
Required Courses Information Course Length
Bench Conduct and Demeanor In-person training only 3 hours
Ethics Online Training Available 3 hours
At least one area of the following areas of substantive law:
Small Claims, Traffic, Unlawful Detainer and/or Family Law
Online Training Available Hours Vary

Application

Handwritten applications will not be accepted. The Temporary Judge Program application is fillable and available on this website by using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, you may download the application for free from Adobe’s website.

Temporary Judge Program Application

Submit your application in person or mail to:

Colusa County Superior Court
Temporary Judge Program
532 Oak Street
Colusa, CA 95932

Frequently Asked Questions:

An attorney that volunteers his or her time and is trained to hear and decide cases. Also, called a “judge pro tem”.

The information regarding Requirements and Application to become a Temporary Judge are available online. If you have any questions after reading these sections, you can contact the Court Executive Officer.

Yes. You need to be a member in good standing for ten (10) years. For good cause, the Presiding Judge may permit an attorney admitted to practice for at least five (5) years to qualify.

Yes. In order to serve or continue to serve as a Temporary Judge, two courses are mandatory – Ethics and Bench Conduct and Demeanor. Ethics can be taken online. Applicants must attend the Bench Conduct and Demeanor training in person. An additional class from one of more of the following areas must be completed before an attorney can be certified and assigned:Temporary Judges can only sit in courtrooms which handle matters in which they have been trained and certified.

  • Small Claims is a two module training (online training available)
  • Traffic (online training available)
  • Unlawful Detainer (online training available)

Yes, if approved to sit as a Temporary Judge, you are required to sit a minimum of four (4) times each year.

This depends on the needs of the Court and the areas in which you have been certified to sit. Your availability and subject matter preferences will all be taken into consideration. We will attempt to assign you according to these factors in conjunction with the Court’s needs. We also try to spread the assignments among all of the certified Temporary Judges so that everyone has an opportunity to sit. If you have concerns about the frequency of assignments, please contact the Court Executive Officer to discuss the matter. A Temporary Judge performs a great service to the community and the Superior Court so we will try our best to accommodate your schedule.

If you are a criminal prosecutor or criminal defense attorney who appears in traffic court, you will not be assigned to a traffic courtroom. If the principal portion of your practice is either representing the Plaintiff/Petitioner or Defendant/Respondent in Small Claims or Unlawful Detainers, you will not be assigned to a courtroom that hears these matters. You are otherwise eligible to serve in other subject matters after you have completed the required training.

California Rule of Court 10.745 requires the performance of a Temporary Judge to be reviewed on a regular basis and permits monitoring by various means as well. Upon receipt of a complaint, the judge presiding over the program will investigate the complaint and prepare a response. If a complaint is received, you will be notified and your input may be requested during the investigation. Also, as indicated in the application you submitted to the Court, you have a continuing duty to disclose any activity as outlined in California Rule of Court 10.744(b) and (c).

Yes. The eligibility period for serving as a Temporary Judge pursuant to California Rules of Court. Rule 2.812, is valid for a three-year period. At the conclusion of the three-year period, a renewal application must be submitted in order to continue serving as a Temporary Judge. Attorneys renewing their status as a Temporary Judge are also required to provide verification of the mandatory Bench Conduct and Demeanor and Ethics training and one substantive matter. To avoid a gap in your service, you should keep track of these dates independently.

Yes, you can receive Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits for your coursework to serve as a Temporary Judge.

California Code of Judicial Ethics, Cannon 6D.9(a)-(b) reads:
(a) A temporary judge appointed under rule 2.810 of the California Rules of Court, from the time of appointment and continuing indefinitely after the termination of the appointment, shall not use his or her title or service as a temporary judge as a description of the lawyer’s current or former principal profession, vocation, or occupation on a ballot designation for judicial or other elected office, in an advertisement about the lawyer’s law firm or business, or on a letterhead, business card, or other document that is distributed to the public identifying the lawyer or the lawyer’s law firm.
(b) This Canon does not prohibit a temporary judge appointed under rule 2.810 of the California Rules of Court from using his or her title or service as a temporary judge on an application to serve as a temporary judge, including an application in other courts, on an application for employment or for an appointment to a judicial position, on an individual resume or a descriptive statement submitted in connection with an application for employment or for appointment or election to a judicial position, or in response to a request for information about the public service in which the lawyer has engaged.” The Superior Court takes this policy and any infraction of it very seriously.

Governing Rules and Code of Judicial Ethics

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