What is the
San Mateo County Superior Court?
The San Mateo County Superior Court is a Superior
County Court in the State of California, which exists within the realm of Common
Law. A Superior Court is permitted to hear cases both criminal and civil in
nature. This is in contrast to a court classified as ‘lower’, which is
restricted to the judicial review of cases considered to be less severe in
nature. Although this qualification differs with regard to the nature of the
crime, matters considered to be of the utmost seriousness within San Mateo
County, California will typically be heard before the San Mateo County Superior
Court.
The San
Mateo County Superior Court currently is comprised of 5 locations, which are
determined in accordance to the specific hearing. The main courthouse is
located in
San Mateo County, California:
400 County Center
Redwood City, California 94063
(650) 363-4805
San Mateo County Superior Court Jurisdiction
The following cities, municipalities, and towns in
the State of California are under the jurisdiction of the San Mateo County
Superior Court. However, the San Mateo County Country Court System is
apportioned into 5 locations with regard to the respective legal services
provided. Each of the courthouses within the San Mateo County Superior Court
Systems are responsible for a variety of legal
services:
Atherton
Belmont
Brisbane
Burlingame
Colma
Daly City
East Palo Alto
Foster City
Half Moon Bay
Hillsborough
Menlo Park
Millbrae
Pacifica
Portola Valley
Redwood City
San Bruno
San Carlos
San Mateo
South San Francisco
Woodside
San Mateo County Superior Court Judges and
Personnel
In the San
Mateo County Superior Court, the following Judges and personnel are responsible
for legal review of legal matters:
Beth Labson Freeman: Presiding Judge
Robert D. Folies: Assistant Presiding Judge.
Legal Issues Managed at the San Mateo County
Superior Court
The
following legal issues, statutory legislation, and proceedings are heard in the
San Mateo County Superior Court:
Family Law: Judicial review within this legal
field in the San Mateo County Superior Court undertakes legal matters
addressing matters of the family and familial, structural procedures including:
Adoption
The Establishment of Paternity and Guardianship
Domestic Violence and the Mandating of Restraining
Orders
Divorce, Legal Separation, and Annulment
The Establishment of Visitation
Domestic Partnerships
Dispute Resolution and Mediation: Measures of
alternative forms of conflict resolution, including Mediation, are defined as
legal procedures undertaken in lieu of arbitration through court hearings.
Small Claims Court: The San Mateo County Superior
Court provides a legal venue existing under the jurisdiction of Civil Law with
which legal matters involving smaller sums of money, damages, and torts
occurring within San Mateo County may be heard.
Small Claims Court in San Mateo County will only
undertake matters not exceeding $7,500 in valuation. Individuals are prohibited
from filing for an excess of 2 Small Claims hearings exceeding $2,500 each on
an annual basis. Small Claims Court hearings must take place within 180 days of
the matter being heard.
Probate Court: A legal venue in which the
appropriation of the estate belonging to a deceased individual takes place. This
includes the judicial review of the following:
Wills and Testaments
Conservatorships
Single Party Inheritance
Descendent Guardianship
Juvenile and Minor Law: This legal field
undertakes hearings involving children and individuals not considered to be
legal adults, which may include the following:
Child Support
Violations Committed by Individuals Considered to
be ‘Underage’
Juvenile Crime
Juvenile Dependency
Grand Jury: A legal procedure in which a jury will
be undertaken in order to facilitate the determination with regard to the
existence of a sufficient amount of evidence required for a fair hearing. Jury
duty is also required of any and all residents of San Mateo County.
Traffic and Accident Law: Vehicular and
transportation matters requiring legal administration and regulation may be
heard at the San Mateo County Superior Court. These matters will range in the
requirement for a court appearance in lieu of the submission of required fees. This
may include:
Required Fines and Fees
Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving Under
the Influence (DUI)
The Mandating of Citations
Punitive Recourse with regard to the Associated
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Criminal Law: The San Mateo County Superior Court
will address matters in both civil jurisdictions, as well as those occurring
within criminal jurisdictions. Criminal cases are considered to be affronts in
the form of crime with regard to the general public within the public sector,
which may include:
Drug Treatment, if the individual is eligible.
The ‘Bridges’ Program: An outpatient drug
counseling program sponsored by Sam Mateo County.
Probation and Expungement
Civil Law in the San Mateo County Superior Court
With regard to legal matters involving a resident
of San Mateo County Country, the following classifications of respective
circumstances are applicable to Civil Law Cases:
Unlimited Civil Jurisdictions entail hearings in
which the valuation of monies, assets, or properties is equal to or exceeds
$25,000. These cases will require additional fees of $395 in order to be heard.
Limited Civil Jurisdictions entail hearings in
which the valuation of monies, assets, or properties is less than $25,000.
Complex Civil Litigation
San Mateo County Superior Court Administration and
Fees
The San Mateo County Superior Court provides
individuals the opportunity to not only access court documentation, but also
satisfy the payment of fees online. The following details are pertinent with
regard to both scheduling of fee payment, as well the procedural structuring of
legal fees:
Fee structures, schedules, and payments are
available both in virtual and physical formats.
Court forms and applicable documentation are
provided in both online, as well as in hard copy form.
The Administration of Jury Duty
Records Management.
