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Trial Courts

Current Cases of Interest
Federal Criminal Calendar
Family Law
Probate Court

Current Cases of Interest

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Every day, federal criminal matters are brought before federal magistrates at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Daily calendar is held in both San Francisco and Oakland.

San Francisco

The criminal law and motion calendar is heard at 9:30 a.m. every business day in the courtroom of the magistrate judge assigned to the calendar for that month. These courtrooms are all on the 15th floor of 450 Golden Gate Avenue. The magistrates are assigned to this duty a month at a time; the calendar is at the url below, or go to www.cand.uscourts.gov, click on the "Calendars" link, and choose "SF Magistrate/Judge Criminal."

The link: http://www.cand.uscourts.gov/cand/faq.nsf/60126b66e42d004888256d4e007bce29/b3771ad12757b97a882570ed00667e76?OpenDocument

The Magistrate Judge's courtrooms are:

Edward M. Chen - Courtroom F
Maria-Elena James - Courtroom B
Elizabeth D. LaPorte - Courtroom E
James Larson - Courtroom C
Joseph C. Spero - Courtroom A
Bernard Zimmerman - Courtroom G

Oakland

Magistrate Judge Wayne Brazil hears the criminal law and motion calendar daily in Courtroom 4 at 10:00 a.m.

Family Law

The Family Law Division of the Unified Family Court for San Francisco (400 McAllister Street) has several types of hearings that are calendared on a regular basis. Trials and long cause hearings are individually scheduled.

Departments 403 and 404: General Family Law Matters

Child Custody and Visitation: Every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 9 a.m. Contested matters are referred for mediation to Family Court Services. If resolution is not reached, the parties return to the courtroom the same morning for decision of the matter.

Law and Motion: Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. All matters other than child custody and visitation are on this calendar (for example, child support calculations, sale of family resident, attorney fee requests, and spousal support requests).

Domestic Violence: Three times a month on Tuesday afternoons this calendar is heard, alternating between Departments 403 and 404. Cases involving children are heard at 1:30 p.m. and are referred to mediation. Other cases are heard at 1:35 p.m. Common issues heard are restraining orders, supervised visitation, and monetary restitution.

Department 416: Actions brought by the District Attorney's office to establish and enforce child support orders are heard Monday through Thursday at 8:30 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. Common issues involve establishing the amount of child support, setting aside default judgments, and establishing paternity.

The Family Law Division has four departments, headed by two judges (Donna J. Hitchens and Charlotte W. Woolard) and two commissioners (Marjorie A. Slabach and Rebecca Wightman).

Probate Court

Probate Court: The Probate Division of the San Francisco Superior Court (Rm. 204, 400 McAllister Street) has several types of hearings that are calendared on a regular basis.

Probate Calendar: Trust matters, estate matters, and guardianships and conservatorships are heard every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 9 a.m. Specially set matters are at 11 a.m. on the same days. These matters are heard either by Hon. John Dearman, Presiding Judge of the Probate Court, or by Commissioner Dorothy McMath.

Conservatorship: Matters involving conservatorships for disabled adults and guardianships for children are heard at 9 a.m. on Thursdays. An informational video is shown from 9 - 9:30 a.m. for the benefit of people proceeding in propria persona (without attorneys).

Specially set trials and longer cause matters are generally calendared for Fridays at 9 a.m. If a probate matter will be lengthy, it may be sent for hearing before any of the judges of the superior court.

© 1998-2006, Professor Marsha N. Cohen - UC Hastings College of the Law 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco CA 94102 (415) 565-4600
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