Your Guide to the State of California’s Kings County Superior Court

What is the Kings County Superior Court?

The Kings County Superior Court is a Court in the State of California, which exists within the realm of Common Law. A Superior Court is permitted to hear cases both criminal and civil in nature. This is in contrast to a court classified as ‘lower’, which is restricted to the judicial review of cases considered to be less severe in nature. Although this qualification differs with regard to the nature of the crime, matters considered to be of the utmost seriousness within Kings County, California will typically be heard before the Kings County Superior Court.

The Kings County Superior Court currently is comprised of 4 locations, which are determined in accordance to the specific hearing. The main courthouse is located in Kings County, California:

1426 South Drive
Hanford, California 93230
(559) 582-1010


Kings County Superior Court Jurisdiction

The following cities, municipalities, and towns in the State of California are under the jurisdiction of the Kings County Superior Court. However, the Kings County Court System is apportioned into 4 locations with regard to the respective legal services provided:

Avenal

Corcoran

Hanford

Lemoore

Kings County Superior Court Judges and Personnel

In the Kings County Superior Court, the following Judges and personnel are responsible for legal review of legal matters:

James LaPorte: Presiding Judge

Thomas DeSantos: Assistant Presiding Judge.

Legal Issues Managed at the Kings County Superior Court:

The following legal issues, statutory legislation, and proceedings are heard in the Kings County Superior Court:

Family Law: Judicial review within this legal field in the Kings County Superior Court undertakes legal matters addressing matters of the family and familial, structural procedures including:

Adoption

The Establishment of Paternity and Guardianship

Domestic Violence, Domestic Partnerships, and legal statutes forbidding the encroachment of an individual within the expressed vicinity of another individual.

Divorce, Legal Separation, and Annulment

The Establishment of Visitation

Restraining Orders: Legal statutes forbidding the encroachment of an individual within the expressed vicinity of another individual.

Grand Jury: A legal procedure in which a jury will be undertaken in order to facilitate the determination with regard to the existence of a sufficient amount of evidence required for a fair hearing. Jury duty is also required of any and all residents of Kings County.

Appeals Division: Decisions rendered from lower court cases may be brought before a court of law in lieu of a preexisting decision set forth subsequent to a verdict before the Kings County Superior Court. In these cases, individuals retain the right to apply for an appeal in court allowing them opportunity to represent their individual cases for supplemental judicial review.

Small Claims Court: The Kings County Superior Court provides a legal venue existing under the jurisdiction of Civil Law with which legal matters involving smaller sums of money, damages, and torts occurring within Kings County may be heard.

Small Claims Court in Kings County will only undertake matters not exceeding $7,500 in valuation. Individuals filing an excess of 12 claims on an annual basis will be required to pay a $100 surcharge upon filing.

Probate Court: A legal venue in which the appropriation of the estate belonging to a deceased individual takes place. This includes the judicial review of the following:

Wills and Testaments

Conservatorships

Single Party Inheritance

Descendent Guardianship

Juvenile and Minor Law: This legal field undertakes hearings involving children and individuals not considered to be legal adults, which may include the following:

Child Support

Violations Committed by Individuals Considered to be ‘Underage’

Juvenile Crime

Juvenile Dependency

Exhibits: A legally-regulatory process undertaken by the Court in order to mandate and authorize evidence for the presentation within a court hearing.

Landlord and Tennant Dispute Resolution: Civil disputes that take place between a tenant, who is listed as a temporary resident in property belonging to another individual or entity. The owner is known as the landlord.

Traffic and Accident Law: Vehicular and transportation matters requiring legal administration and regulation may be heard at the Kings County Superior Court. These matters will range in the requirement for a court appearance in lieu of the submission of required fees. This may include:

Required Fines and Fees

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

The Mandating of Citations

Punitive Recourse with regard to the Associated Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

Criminal Law: The Kings County Superior Court will address matters in both civil jurisdictions, as well as those occurring within criminal jurisdictions. Criminal cases are considered to be affronts in the form of crime with regard to the general public within the public sector.

Civil Law in the Kings County Superior Court

With regard to legal matters involving a resident of Kings County, the following classifications of respective circumstances are applicable to Civil Law Cases:

Unlimited Civil Jurisdictions entail hearings in which the valuation of monies, assets, or properties is equal to or exceeds $25,000. These cases will require additional fees of $395 in order to be heard.

Limited Civil Jurisdictions entail hearings in which the valuation of monies, assets, or properties is less than $25,000.

Kings County Superior Court Administration and Fees

The Kings County Superior Court provides individuals the opportunity to not only access court documentation, but also satisfy the payment of fees online. The following details are pertinent with regard to both scheduling of fee payment, as well the procedural structuring of legal fees:

Fee structures, schedules, and payments are available both in virtual and physical formats.

Court forms and applicable documentation are provided in both online, as well as in hard copy form.

The Administration of Jury Duty.