Application period is open through January 20, 2023

Source:  Superior Court of San Diego

November 10, 2022 (San Diego) - The San Diego Superior Court is now seeking dedicated residents with sound judgment from throughout the county to serve on the 2023/2024 San Diego County Grand Jury. The Grand Jury investigates citizen complaints and performs its traditional function as a “watchdog” over government agencies. It does not conduct criminal investigations.

Source:  San Diego Superior Court

May 6, 2022 (San Diego) – The Honorable Joseph P. Brannigan has retired after nearly 18 years of service on the San Diego Superior Court Bench, ending a storied career that started with a stint as an officer in the U.S. Army followed by time spent as an FBI agent, deputy district attorney and assistant U.S. attorney. 

Source: Superior Court of California, County of San Diego

January 28, 2021 (San Diego) – San Diego Superior Court jury trials were suspended throughout most of 2020, though a few trials were held in October and November. Jury trials were again suspended in December and January; however, the Court now aims to resume jury trials in February 2021.

Jury duty summonses were mailed to members of the public starting in September 2020. Beginning in late November summonsed individuals were advised they did not need to report for duty when they called the telephone standby phone number while trials were paused. Individuals with summons for dates in February and beyond should follow the instructions on their summons to call in for telephone standby jury duty. Small groups will be instructed to report in person for jury duty. Those not called in on the first day of their telephone standby service will need to call in the next day for further instructions until their service is complete.

Update: All jury trials in Calif. Superior courts have been delayed for 60 days, per an order issued today by California's Chief Justice and Chair of the Judicial Council

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Scales of justice, Creative Commons via Bing

March 24, 2020 (San Diego) – The COVID-19 emergency is having major impacts on the criminal justice system. 

Locally, the Superior Court is shut down for all but emergency procedures.  Trials are suspended. Public defender lawyers are barred from visiting defendants in county jails.  The Sheriff and District Attorney have announced plans to release some prisoners awaiting arraignment and some medically vulnerable inmates.

 At the federal level, the Department of Justice has asked Congress to grant federal judges  sweeping new powers to detain people indefinitely during emergencies even if they have not yet been charged with a crime, halt court proceedings, and prohibit anyone with COVID-19 from seeking asylum in the U.S., among other changes that concern civil liberties experts. The Trump administration has also indicated it will arrest anyone who crosses the border seeking asylum.

By Miriam Raftery

May 31, 2018 (San Diego) – Matt Brower, candidate for Superior Court Judge in seat 37, sat down for an in-depth interview with East County Magazine on KNSJ radio. He’s a deputy district attorney and a judge advocate in the Marine Corps Reserve running for San DIego Superior Court seat 37.

He says if elected, he will “be focused on a daily basis with treating all people with professionalism, dignity and respect.”

He’s running against incumbent Judge Gary Kreep, who was censured by the State Commission on Judicial Performance for 29 counts on judicial misconduct and running his courtroom in a biased manner, making derogatory comments about minorities, women attorneys, and people with cases before him.

Listen to his full interview at the audio link, or scroll down for highlights.

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a San Diego News Association member

December 28, 2016 (San Diego) -- Gov. Jerry Brown has announced that U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy will become a Superior Court judge in San Diego.

Duffy, a Democrat who was appointed by President Obama in 2010, was likely to be replaced by a Republican when President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

East County News Service

October 29, 2014 (Borrego Springs)--The state is proposing to release convicted child molester Gary Snavely, a sexually violent predator, in Borrego Springs.  A hearing will be held on December 5^th in San Diego Superior Court and the public can provide with comments.

By Miriam Raftery

April 25, 2014 (San Diego) – Judge Ronald Prager has been a Superior Court Judge for 26 years, with an unblemished record.

 “I’ve handled more important cases and complex litigation than any other judge,” said Prager, who has presided over many of our region’s most high profile cases.  He told ECM that he has been endorsed by all 125 Superior Court judges as well as Sheriff Bill Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, the Public Defender, Deputy District Attorneys Association, the Lawyer’s Club, and San Diegans Against Crime, a crime victims’ rights group.

His opponent for Superior Court seat 9,  Douglas James Crawford,   faces suspension of his law license for advising opposing counsel of threats made by his client to instigate an IRS audit if settlement talks in a lawsuit were not commenced.  He denies wrongdoing and has filed an appeal.  He has also drawn criticism for racial remarks regarding an African-American judge and for offering free legal advice to white supremacist groups. In addition, an East County Magazine investigation reveals that Crawford has previously been sanctioned by the California 4th District Court of Appeal for “intentionally misleading” a court and bank regarding his mother’s death.  Moreover, the court found that Crawford  claimed to represent his mother’s  estate after allowing his license to practice law to become inactive.

By Nadin Abbott

October 22, 2012 (San Diego)—At a press conference called by active and retired members of the legal profession, prominent legal experts urged voters to reject Superior Court candidate Jim Miller. The County Bar Association found Miller “lacking qualifications.” Miller had previously been removed for cause as a Judge Pro Tempore and two weeks ago, had his endorsement by the Lincoln Club revoked.

The Honorable Howard Wiener, a retired judge, told media that “this press conference is to highlight the importance of a judicial election and the need to cast an informed vote.”

By Miriam Raftery and Sierra Robinson

May 24, 2012 (La Mesa) – They make life or death decisions.  Superior Court judges may determine who goes to prison—and for how long.  They hear civil lawsuits,  juvenile and family court cases. Their decisions can bring  victims closure or tear families apart—and their rulings may set long-lasting precedents. 

Yesterday, three candidates vying for San Diego Superior Court Seat 25 presented their arguments why each contends he is the best qualified for the bench. The forum was presented by Foothills Bar Association at BJ’s restaurant in La Mesa.