San Jose Court

San Jose boasts a robust court system, one of the finest in California. While most citizens might hope never to interact with the system in person, it’s important to know a bit about the judicial system and how a resident of San Jose might interact with it. If you should ever find yourself in legal trouble, you’ll need the help of a good San Jose bail bonds company.  You might be surprised to find that there is far more to the San Jose court system than you may have expected.

Locations

Given the size of San Jose, it only makes sense that there would be more than one court location. San Jose’s courts are generally divided by subject matter, with those dealing with specific legal issues generally having their cases heard at specific locations. The locations of the courts include:

– The Downtown Superior Court
– Notre Dam Court House
– Palo Alto Court House
– Santa Clara Court House (primarily traffic)
– South County Morgan Hill Court House
– Sunnyvale Court House
– Terraine Court House
– Family Courthouse (primarily family law)
– Hall of Justice
– Juvenile Justice Courthouse (juvenile matters)
– Old Court House

The Court Divisions

The court system hears several types of cases. Rather than requiring every court or judge to hear every case, the system is divided for reasons of efficiency. Hearings fall into one of several categories. These include:

– Civil cases, or cases involving private rights
– Criminal cases, or cases involving criminal activities
– Family law, cases like adoptions, divorces and custody hearings
– Juvenile law, cases that involve minors
– Probate cases, which involve the disposition of estates and trusts
– Small claims, where issues of smaller monetary vale are decided
– Traffic court, where issues like tickets and moving violations are discussed

Community Engagement

The Courts don’t just exist as arbiters of the law – they also exist to educate. The courts have two very useful methods of community engagement, each of which is tailored to a segment of the populace. For those who attend school in the San Jose area, one of the best educational experiences offered in the area is mock trial program. Mock trials give students the chance to learn how the courts work first hand, working as attorneys, jury members and even witnesses in a trial. Older members of the public can view real trials, as the majority of trials in San Jose are open to the public. Court hearing calendars are posted online for public view, and groups can coordinate visits with the courts at their leisure.

The San Jose court is an important part of the community. From hearings involving families and children to matters of local importance, the law is interpreted in the courts in San Jose. Whether you find yourself dealing with a legal matter or just want to learn more about how the courts work, it’s important that you have a good idea of the resources available in this system.