Judicial Appointment Application
Thank you for your interest in obtaining a judicial appointment.
If you are applying for an Appellate Court Judicial Application read the instructions for Completing the Appellate Court Judicial Application. If you are applying for a superior court appointment, look further down at the Instructions for Completing the Online Superior Court Judicial Application.
Instructions for Completing the Appellate Court Judicial Application
Below is an application for an appellate judicial appointment for you to complete and return at your earliest convenience. Please comply with the following instructions in completing the application. Any errors will delay processing your application.
- The information requested on pages 1 and 2 of the application form can be typed in the spaces provided. You may augment your answers to the requests and questions contained on pages 1 and 2 by use of separate attachments, if necessary. Alternatively, you may recreate these two pages on your word processor. However, if you choose to do so, please retain the same format and wording as in the original pages.
- The information requested on the remaining pages should be answered sequentially on plain, letter-sized paper. Please restate the request or question before each answer. Your answers should be typed and single spaced. Each page must be numbered consecutively at the bottom.
- Pages 1 and 2, your answers to the remaining requests and questions, and any enclosures, should be top 2-hole punched (centered 2½" apart and 5/8" from the top), fastened with a metal clip, and submitted to our office at the address indicated below. Please do not bind in any other format. Be sure to include a signed original of the "Authorization and Release" form printed on a separate page. Original application and attachments only and please refrain from sending additional copies.
Please Note: If you have submitted your application in a previous administration, you must reapply using Governor Schwarzenegger's Administration judicial application. This application is NOT the same as prior Administrations. Any errors will delay processing your application.
Attorneys applying for Appellate Court (.doc format)
Attorneys applying for Appellate Court (.pdf format)
Judicial Officer applying for Appellate Court (.doc format)
Judicial Officer applying for Appellate Court (.pdf format)
Instructions for Completing the Superior Court Judicial Application
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS.
The application is very lengthy and must be completed online in one session. You will not be able to start the process, log off, save any completed portions, or return to the website to complete it later.
Failure to follow all of the instructions will delay or foreclose consideration of your application.
To simplify the application process, you should:
- Make sure you have met the mandatory eligibility requirement to serve as a judge on a California court. "A person is ineligible to be a judge of a court of record unless for 10 years immediately preceding selection, the person has been a member of the State Bar or served as a judge of a court of record in this State." Cal. Const, Art. VI, section 15 (2007). You must also be a member in good standing with the California State Bar. If you do not meet these two requirements, consideration of your application may be delayed or foreclosed.
- Review the entire application at the following link "review application", before completing it, so that you will be familiar with the questions you will be asked.
- Have a good understanding of the mandatory questions you must answer. An answer to each question must be entered, or you will not be allowed to go to the next page of the application. If the answer is not applicable to you, enter N/A.
- Be aware of the answers that are optional, and not required for you to answer.
- Answer the call of the question completely and truthfully. When in doubt about whether to provide the information requested, err on the side of disclosure.
- Obtain the supplemental information you will need to accompany your application, such as, your writing sample, resume, photograph (optional), and authorization and release form, which must be signed under penalty of perjury.
- Complete the application and authorization and release form as you find it online. Do not delete, change, or alter any questions that are a part of the application.
When you are prepared to answer all of the questions in one session, complete the application online. Press submit when prompted to do so in order for the application to be entered into the electronic database.
Mail a copy of the authorization and release form, and supplemental documents to:
Office of the Governor
Judicial Appointments Unit
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Please Note: This application was revised in August 2007. If you submitted an earlier version during Governor Schwarzenegger's administration, you do not need to reapply using the new application. If you decide to compare the differences between the two versions and want to submit supplemental data, you must mail it to the Governor's Office and cannot submit it online.
The process of reviewing your application and supplemental documents is a lengthy one. Each application is given thorough and careful consideration. We ask for your patience while we consider the unique skills, experiences, and qualifications of each applicant, and the needs of the court.
Again, thank you for your willingness to serve the people of California in the important role of a judicial officer.
Sharon B. Majors-Lewis
Judicial Appointments Secretary
The application for a judicial position may be reviewed and completed online by clicking on the following link Superior Court Application.
