Pro Tem Superior Court Judge
Counsel to a civil action pending in a Superior Court of California may stipulate that a member of the Bar may serve as a Pro Tem Superior Court Judge pursuant to Article VI Section 21 of the California Constitution and California Rules of Court Rules 2.810(a) and 2.830-834. The stipulation may be accepted and ordered in the discretion of the Superior Court for the County in which the action is pending.
Reasons for Service
There are three primary reasons which counsel have shared with Joe Ramsey for their decision to request permission to try their case to a private Judge empowered to serve as a Pro Tem Superior Court Judge:
First, time and cost efficiency: In some counties burdened with more cases than they are equipped to handle, counsel have sought a trial by a private judge because the parties can schedule and rely on a time for the trial and will usually be able to try the case in considerably less time.
Second, relative privacy: In some cases, the parties agree that trying the case to a private judge substantially reduces the possibility of painful publicity. Examples are cases involving sexual matters and alleged professional negligence.
Third, preservation of rights of appeal: Unlike binding arbitration, the trial of a civil action before a pro tem Superior Court Judge requires the preservation of a record for appeal and preserves all rights to appeal.
Experience as a Superior Court Judge Pro Tem
Joe Ramsey’s extensive experience as a trial lawyer and a binding neutral arbitrator have prepared him for service as a Pro Tem Superior Court Judge if approved by the Superior Court. He has decided two cases in that capacity. The first was a San Joaquin County case which he decided in approximately 1999. The second was a Sacramento County case which he decided in 2006.