Courts of Appeal

California Courts of Appeal

map of state court of appeals districts

The California Courts of Appeal are the state's intermediate courts of review. Their primary function is to ensure that the law is interpreted and applied correctly.

 

The California Courts of Appeal review the vast majority of appealable orders or judgments from superior courts. The primary exception involves death penalty cases, which automatically are appealed directly to the California Supreme Court.

 

California has six appellate districts, based on geography. Some districts are further subdivided into divisions. A presiding justice and two or more associate justices sit in each appellate district. In the most recent year, more than 20,000 appeals and original proceedings were filed in the California Courts of Appeal.

 

Courts of Appeal Website & Maps | Legacy Project | Court Statistics (PDF) | How Appellate Court Justices are Selected | Appellate Retention Elections

  • Courts Mourn the Passing of Justice Richard Mosk

    April 18, 2016
    LOS ANGELES—Associate Justice Richard M. Mosk passed away after a brief illness on Sunday, April 17, 2016. Justice Mosk was the son of Supreme Court of California Associate Justice Stanley Mosk, and had just retired from the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Five in March. He was 76.
    Justice Richard M. Mosk

  • Mandatory E-Filing for Attorneys to Begin in Third Appellate District

    August 11, 2015

    SACRAMENTO—The California Court of Appeal for the Third Appellate District will require attorneys to comply with mandatory e-filing in all case types beginning September 14, 2015. Attorneys will e-file documents using TrueFiling, an e-filing portal developed by ImageSoft, Inc. Optional e-filing through the TrueFiling system may begin as early as August 24, 2015. Self-represented litigants will be permitted, but will not be required, to e-file documents using TrueFiling.