The Superior Court of California for and in the County of Santa Clara is the state trial court in and for Santa Clara County, California.
The Santa Clara Superior Court serves the public by providing equal justice for all in a fair, accessible, effective, efficient, and courteous manner; resolving disputes under the law; applying the law consistently, impartially, and independently; instilling public trust and confidence in the court.
History
San Jose was chosen as the initial site for the state's capitol in 1849, which it held until 1851, when legislators voted to move to Vallejo. After Santa Clara County was formed on April 25, 1851, a contest was held to select a design for a new building worthy of being a state capitol in 1860. The winning entry, designed by Levi Goodrich, was constructed from 1866 to 1868 at a cost of .
The courthouse was destroyed by fire in May 1931. Reconstruction work began in December 1931 and completed in August 1932; a dedication ceremony for the reconstructed courthouse was held on September 17. As originally completed in 1868, the courthouse was topped by a copper-covered dome; the copper sheathing melted in the intense heat from the 1931 fire and the dome was removed during reconstruction. After the disastrous 1931 fire and rebuilding, it survives today as the Old Courthouse, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the St. James Square National Historic District in 1979.
A modern courthouse was completed in 1964, replacing an older Hall of Records which had been built adjacent to the county courthouse. The Hall of Justice, located a few blocks to the north, was completed in 1991. The Family Justice Center was completed in 2016, consolidating court operations from six different facilities in a single building.
The doctrine of corporate personhood in US law is commonly traced to the 1886 decision of the United States Supreme Court in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad, which started in this court.
Courthouses
Downtown Superior Court, Downtown San Jose
Family Justice Center, Downtown San Jose
Hall of Justice, San Jose
Juvenile Justice Courthouse, San Jose
Old Courthouse, Downtown San Jose
Palo Alto Courthouse, Palo Alto
Santa Clara Courthouse, Santa Clara
South County Courthouse, Morgan Hill
Closed
Park Center Family Court, Downtown San Jose (closed August 15, 2016) Notre Dame Courthouse, Notre Dame Avenue, Downtown San Jose (closed August 22, 2016) Ruff Drive Courthouse, Ruff Drive, San Jose (closed 2008) Sunnyvale Courthouse, Sunnyvale (closed August 15, 2016) Terraine Courthouse, Terraine Street, Downtown San Jose (closed August 22, 2016)
Areas Served
The Court serves the Incorporated Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places of Santa Clara County. (Incorporated Cities and or Towns are marked with an asterisk (*).)
Alum Rock
Burbank
Cambrian Park
Campbell*
Cupertino*
East Foothills
Fruitdale
Gilroy*
Lexington Hills
Los Altos*
Los Altos Hills*
Los Gatos*
Loyola
Milpitas*
Monte Sereno*
Morgan Hill*
Mountain View*
Palo Alto*
San Jose*
San Martin
Santa Clara*
Saratoga*
Stanford
Sunnyvale*
Judges
Present
The following judicial officers serve on the Superior Court of California, Santa Clara County, as of June 2019: