Ventura County Superior Court Explained

Established:1872
Jurisdiction:Ventura County, California
Appealsto:California Court of Appeal for the Second District, Division Six
Chiefjudgetitle:Presiding Judge
Chiefjudgename:Hon. Bruce A. Young
Termstart:[1]
Chiefjudgetitle2:Assistant Presiding Judge
Chiefjudgename2:Hon. Kevin G. DeNoce
Chiefjudgetitle3:Court Executive Officer
Chiefjudgename3:Michael D. Planet
Termstart3:[2]

The Superior Court of California, County of Ventura County, is the branch of the California superior court with jurisdiction over Ventura County.

History

Ventura County was formed on March 22, 1872.[3] The original Ventura County Courthouse was completed in 1875[4] by William Dewey Hobson and T. B. Steepleton from a design by Hobson. Additions were made in 1879 and 1884,[5] and the building was remodeled in 1900.[6] The first courthouse was demolished around 1920;[7] the site is now occupied by the May Henning School on Santa Clara Street.[4]

A bond measure was passed, authorizing for a new courthouse in 1911.[8] The new Ventura County Courthouse was designed by architect Albert C. Martin Sr. and completed in 1912. The new building was officially dedicated on July 7, 1913.[9] [10] A new jail wing was added in 1931–32.[11] [12] After the 1912 building was declared unsafe in November 1968,[13] the City of Ventura purchased the 1912 building and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. After the city completed an extensive renovation,[14] partially defrayed by grants from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Economic Development Administration,[15] it has served as the Ventura City Hall since 1974.[16]

The County of Ventura purchased land in eastern Ventura for a new Government Center.[15] The current main courtrooms and administrative offices of the Ventura County Superior Court are at the Ventura Hall of Justice, which was completed in 1980 as part of Phase 2 of the Ventura County Government Center. The design is credited to the architectural firms led by John Carl Warnecke and Dan Dworsky.[17] [18]

The East County Courthouse in Simi Valley opened in March 1991.[19] Although the East County Courthouse was intended to provide services for communities east of the Conejo Grade, it was nearly closed in 1993 over a budget dispute and only staffed by court commissioners, whose scope was limited to traffic, small claims, and family cases until 1995.[20]

Venues

The main court is located at the Ventura Hall of Justice in Ventura. Juvenile cases are primarily held at the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard.[21]

Cases are also held at the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley.[21] It is notable as the site of the 1992 trial for the police officers who were accused of beating Rodney King.[22] [23] The East County Courthouse had opened in 1991.[24]

Notes and References

  1. Ventura Superior Court Elects Presiding and Assistant Presiding Judges . August 24, 2020 . Superior Court of California, County of Ventura . 28 October 2020.
  2. News: Superior Court Executive Officer Michael D. Planet appointed to the Judicial Council of California . July 4, 2007 . Santa Paula News . 28 October 2020.
  3. 1872 . CCCLI . 484 . An act to create the County of Ventura, to establish the boundaries thereof, and to provide for its organization. direct URL
  4. Historic Resources Survey Update: Downtown Specific Plan Area . Historic Resources Group . April 2007 . City of Ventura . 29 October 2020.
  5. Web site: Images for Ventura County, California . CourthouseHistory . 29 October 2020.
  6. News: Ventura's Courthouse . October 6, 1900 . Los Angeles Herald . 29 October 2020.
  7. News: Old Courthouse At Ventura Passes . May 8, 1920 . Morning Press . 29 October 2020.
  8. News: Ventura a fixture as a county seat . August 3, 1911 . Morning Press . 29 October 2020.
  9. News: Ventura's new courthouse is deddicated . July 7, 1913 . Santa Ana Register . 29 October 2020.
  10. Westside Historic Context & Survey Report, City of Ventura . Galvin Preservation Associates . January 2011 . City of Ventura . 29 October 2020.
  11. News: Modern Heating System to be used in New Addition . November 23, 1931 . Ventura County Star . 29 October 2020.
  12. News: A Solid History . Woodard, Josef . January 31, 1991 . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020.
  13. News: Ventura County's Courthouse May Be Nearing Its Last Days . Overaker, Ken . January 26, 1969 . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020.
  14. News: Ventura Courthouse to Begin New Life . November 25, 1973 . Los Angeles Times . Green, Terence M. . 29 October 2020.
  15. News: Courthouse/City Hall Conversion Proceeds . June 24, 1973 . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020.
  16. News: Old Courthouse Does Justice to Design . Weinstock, Carol . December 20, 1990 . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020.
  17. Web site: Ventura County . Deacon, John . American Courthouses . 29 October 2020.
  18. News: Tight Security Set in Justice Hall . Werkman, Dirk . March 5, 1975 . Oxnard Press Courier . 29 October 2020.
  19. News: Officials Satisfied After Hectic Opening Day in New Courthouse . Lozano, Carlos V. . March 5, 1991 . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020 . subscription.
  20. News: Here Comes the Judge--Finally : 2 Jurists Begin Hearing Cases in East County Courthouse . Reed, Mack . November 29, 1995 . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020 . subscription.
  21. Web site: Ventura County Superior Court locations . 2014-07-14.
  22. News: Rodney King dead at age 47 . Ventura County Star . 2012-06-17 . 2014-07-14.
  23. News: Rodney King riot: Timeline of key events . April 26, 2017 . AP News . 29 October 2020.
  24. News: King Case Shifts to Courtroom in Simi Valley . February 4, 1992 . Serrano, Richard A. . Los Angeles Times . 29 October 2020.

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