Temporary Judge Program

Applications for Volunteer Court-Appointed Temporary Judges (Judges Pro Tem)

The Superior Court of San Benito County is accepting applications from interested attorneys who wish to serve as a Volunteer Court-Appointed Temporary Judge (Judge Pro Tem) pursuant to Rule 2.810, et seq. of the California Rules of Court in the following case types: Civil (Small Claims; Unlawful Detainers; Civil Harassment and Workplace/Postsecondary School Violence); Probate; Family; Juvenile and Traffic. Temporary Judge appointments are for one calendar year. Applications are reviewed each year in the fall for the coming year.

Applicants must meet and maintain the requirements set forth in Rule 2.812 of the California Rules of Court.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Experience

The presiding judge may not appoint an attorney to serve as a temporary judge unless the attorney has been admitted to practice as a member of the State Bar of California for at least 10 years before the appointment.

Training and Continuing Education

All training and continuing education must be completed and renewed within the last three years. All required courses, except Bench Conduct and Demeanor, are available through the Judicial Council of California’s Temporary Judge Resources Page

MANDATORY TRAINING COURSES FOR ALL TEMPORARY JUDGES

Judicial Ethics for Temporary Judges

Bench Conduct and Demeanor

• Certificates of Completion through any California trial court are accepted.

MANDATORY SUBSTANTIVE COURSES BY CASE TYPE

Civil

All courses in the below list are required for Temporary Judges who hear Civil cases.

• Small Claims Court: Procedures and Practices
• Small Claims Court: Consumer and Substantive Laws
• Unlawful Detainer
• Orders Prohibiting Civil Harassment and Workplace/Postsecondary School Violence

Family

Three hours of substantive training from the below list of courses is required for Temporary Judges who hear Family cases. 

• Calendar Management in Family Court
• Custody and Visitation
• Determining Income
• Child and Spousal Support
• Characterizing Property
• Dividing Property

Family – Domestic Violence

All courses in the below list are required for Temporary Judges who hear Domestic Violence cases.

• Domestic Violence: Restraining Orders Prohibiting Family or Relationship Abuse
• Orders Prohibiting Civil Harassment and Workplace/Postsecondary School Violence

Juvenile

All courses in the below list are required for Temporary Judges who hear Juvenile cases.

• Juvenile Delinquency

Traffic

The course listed below is required for Temporary Judges who hear Traffic cases.

• Traffic Cases

Every attorney who applies for appointment as a temporary judge in a trial court must complete an application to serve as a temporary judge. CRC 10.744

Applications to Serve as Temporary Judge

Certificates of completion of all required courses must be included with your application.

Send completed applications to: hr@sanbenitocourt.org