Ventura Appeals

Sometimes the verdict in a trial case does not go your way with the jury or judge. In those circumstances one has the opportunity to appeal the decision. The case is appealed in the California State Courts of Appeal and in the case of the Ventura courthouse, the case will be brought in front of the Second District Division Six.

As you may or may not be know, the California Courts of Appeal are the intermediate appellate courts in California. California is divided into six appellate districts based on geography. The decisions of the Courts of Appeal are binding on the Superior Courts of California, and both the Courts of Appeal and the Superior Courts are bound by the decisions of the California Supreme Court. All published appellate decisions are binding on all California trial courts, unlike the U.S. federal court system, where each trial court is bound only by the appellate decisions from the particular circuit in which it sits, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. Decisions made by a Court of Appeal panel are not binding on other panels.

All California appellate courts are required by law through the California Constitution to decide all their cases in writing with stated reasons, even if the appeal is completely frivolous (the appellate decision must summarize the case facts and case law before concluding that the appeal is frivolous). Most Court of Appeal opinions are not published and have no precedential value. The appellate opinions that are published are included in the California Appellate Reports.

The first of six districts is the California Court of Appeal for the First District located in San Francisco. The first of six districts jurisdiction is over the following California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma.

The second of six districts is the California Court of Appeal for the Second District has its main courthouse in Los Angeles and the secondary courthouse, hosting Division Six, in Ventura. The second of six districts Division Six handles appeals from San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties, while Divisions One through Five, Seven, and Eight handle appeals from Los Angeles County.

The third of six districts is the California Court of Appeal for the Third District which is located in Sacramento. The third of six districts jurisdiction is over the following California counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba.

The fourth of six districts is the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth District which is unique in that it is divided into three geographical divisions that are administratively separate, which even have different case number systems, and yet remain referred to as a single California district.

The fourth of six districts for the Division One courthouse is located in San Diego. It handles California appeals from Imperial and San Diego Counties.

The fourth of six districts for the Division Two courthouse is located in Riverside. It handles California appeals from Inyo, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.

The fourth of six districts for the Division Three courthouse is located in Santa Ana. It handles California appeals from Orange County.

The fifth of six districts for the California Court of Appeal is the Fifth District which is located in Fresno. Its jurisdiction covers the following California counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne.

The sixth of six districts for the California Court of Appeal is the Sixth District which is located in the Comerica Bank building in San José, California. Its jurisdiction covers Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz Counties.