Position Summary
Under the order and general direction of the Presiding Judge, the Court Commissioner performs various functions including, but not limited to, those prescribed by Government Code sections 71622 and 72190
Commissioners may be assigned to any court location for any assignment. It is expected that this position will initially include mental health cases such as Lanterman-Petris-Short Conservatorships including trials and writs, CARE Court, FACT Court and Mental Health Diversion. The position may also initially include Guardianships, Traffic, Treatment Courts and on-call assignments such as pre-arraignment release decisions or emergency protective orders. However, this commissioner position will be assigned based on the needs of the court which could include, but is not limited to, Misdemeanors, Dependency, Limited Civil (including Civil Harassment, Elder Protection, Unlawful Detainers, Collections and Short Cause) or other calendars as needed.
Applicants are not expected to possess experience in all assignments listed. Applicants should highlight experience in possible assignments and highlight a willingness to rotate and learn new assignments. Applicants must be willing to accept and learn any assignment based on the needs of the court. Applicants must possess knowledge of the judicial system. Applicants must also possess the ability to objectively analyze legal issues, principles, and arguments; control courtroom proceedings in a decisive, orderly, and equitable manner; communicate orally and in writing in a concise and effective manner; exhibit appropriate judicial temperament and demeanor, and work effectively under pressure in difficult and unexpected situations.
This is an At-Will position.
Please Note: The annual salary is approximately $212,806. Compensation is set at the sole discretion of the Presiding Judge and the Court Executive Officer.
Pursuant to Government Code section 69917 and California Rules of Court, Rule 10.702, a Court Commissioner may not engage in the practice of law.
Typical Duties
Duties
In addition to the powers conferred by California Code of Civil Procedure 259 the Court Commissioner may also perform the following duties:
- Acts as a temporary judge pursuant to stipulation of counsel or the parties;
- Conducts a daily court calendar; presides over criminal and traffic proceedings, including court and jury trials; hears, reviews, and rules on a variety of petitions, motions, and other actions; takes evidence from witnesses; makes or recommends appropriate findings, judgments, and orders; monitors and determines defendant compliance with court orders and payment schedules; issues bench warrants or driver's license or vehicle registration holds with the Department of Motor Vehicles; evaluates restitution claims;
- Prepares court documents, decisions, reports, correspondence, and other written materials pertaining to case findings and orders;
- Arraigns defendants, sets bail, accepts pleas, imposes sentence, and issues bench warrants; sets cases for hearings and trials; and conducts court and jury trials;
- Reviews court files, documents and related materials to assess cases prior to and following hearings;
- Determines eligibility or degree of financial contribution for indigent defense services and waivers of civil filing fees; eligibility for modified payment plans; eligibility for jail or community service in lieu of fines;
- Presides over proceedings in civil and small claim matters; monitors and determines litigants' compliance with court orders;
- Performs the functions of Referee of the Juvenile Court, which includes juvenile traffic matters and juvenile delinquency hearings as prescribed by the Welfare and Institution Code Sections 247, 248 and 553.
- Conducts judicial hearings in family support cases involving Title IV- D of the Social Security Act, and cases filed by the State Family Child Support Division to establish paternity and other child support- related matters. May act as a judge pro-tem in such matters, or as a commissioner making findings and recommendations subject to review by a judge of the court;
- Performs one or more of the functions of a probate commissioner, including review of pleadings and accounting in probate, guardianship, conservatorship and related matters, approves creditors' claims, ex-parte requests and other probate actions; and presides over probate proceedings as assigned;
- Presides over proceedings involving specialty courts as approved by the court, including but not limited to, Domestic Violence Court, Mental Health Court, DUI Court, Juvenile or Adult Drug Court, and Community Outreach-related Court Programs;
- Acts as a Riese Hearing Officer to hear, conduct and decide all capacity hearings requested by any persons subject to detention pursuant to Sections 5150, 5250, or 5270.15 of the California Welfare and Institution Code;
- Performs duties of rotating on-call judicial officer to include reviewing requests for pre-arraignment release, issuance of emergency protective orders, bail reviews, and any other on-call, after-hours functions required within the scope of a commissioner’s authority;
- Serves on various Court Committees as assigned by the Bench;
- Performs other related duties as assigned by the Presiding Judge.
Qualifications
- This position requires active membership in good standing in the California bar for a period of at least ten (10) years, unless inactive membership was due to previously holding the position of judge, referee, or commissioner.
- Citizenship in the United States of America, and residency in California;
- Demonstration of relevant legal experience as deemed sufficient by the Superior Court Judges;
- Comprehensive knowledge of all applicable local, state, and federal law, including court rules and procedures;
- The ability to establish good working relationships with the Superior Court bench, members of the bar, and various governmental agencies;
- Appropriate judicial temperament and demeanor, including the ability to respond in a calm and rational manner when under pressure in difficult and unexpected situations;
- Able to travel to and from any Court assignment and be ready to promptly handle assigned calendars.
Process to Apply
Please apply online at: http://sonoma.courts.ca.gov/info/jobs.
All questions must be answered completely; incomplete applications will not receive consideration.
Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit a writing sample. Writing samples should be no more than 6 – 8 pages. Applicants may submit up to two letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation may not come from current or retired Sonoma County judicial officers.
Applicants may submit additional information they wish considered in the review phase of the selection procedure as an attachment to their application, e.g. profiles printed in the Daily Journal or other legal newspapers.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application, but will be considered as supplemental information when attached to the application form.
The Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma is committed to creating a diverse environment and an open, inclusive culture free from bias. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a thorough background check, and the provision of appropriate identifying documents to certify eligibility to work in the United States. Please be advised that finalist(s) must be fingerprinted for criminal record check purposes and that continued employment is contingent upon information received in the report. Convictions, depending upon the type, number and date, may be disqualifying. False statements or omission of facts regarding background or employment history may result in disqualification or dismissal.
Health and Welfare Benefits Health Insurance Coverage for employee and eligible dependents; Court contribution currently 92%.
Dental Insurance Family plan, 100% Court Paid
Vision Insurance Family plan, 100% Court paid
Basic Life Insurance Court paid, 2x annual salary ($200,000 maximum)
Supplemental Life Insurance Employee paid/optional
Dependent Life Insurance Employee paid/optional
Short Term DisabilityCourt Paid - 66 2/3% of salary; 7 day waiting period
Long Term Disability Court Paid - 66 2/3% of salary; 60 day waiting period
Deferred Compensation Employee paid/optional
Flexible Spending Accounts Employee paid/optional
Employee Assistance Program Court paid – 100%
Tuition Reimbursement Upon approval
Sick Leave -
10 days per year, no maximum accrual limit
Option to convert 100% of unused sick leave at time of retirement to retirement service credit.
Vacation Leave
Years
Comp
Full-Time
Service
No. of
Comp
In-Service
Hours
Vacation
Accrual per 80
In-Service
Hours
Total
Equiv.
Days
Max.
Accum.
0 - 7
0 - 14,559
7.39
24
380
7-14
14,560 – 29,119
8.31
27
430
More than 14
29,120 or more
9.24
30
460
Holidays
14 paid holidays including: New Year’s Day, January 1, Martin Luther King's Birthday, Lincoln's Birthday, Presidents' Day, Cesar Chavez Holiday, Memorial Day, Junteenth Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day following Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, as well as any day appointed by the Governor and recognized by CEO as a day of mourning, Thanksgiving or special observance.
Personal Days
Up to 16 hours of employee’s available sick leave may be used annually for personal reasons.
Compassionate Leave
Up to 3 days per occurrence; an additional 2 days may be used from employee’s vacation, comp or sick leave.
Jury Duty Leave
Regular pay while on jury duty/cannot claim jury pay
Retirement
The Court Pension Plan is provided through the Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association (SCERA) and fully integrated with Social Security.
Benefit/Costs - Plan B (eligibility Includes Date Of Hire After January 1, 2013 By a SCERA Employer Not Eligible For Reciprocity)
- 2026/27 Employee Contributions
7.70%
- 2026/27 Employer Contributions
30.28%
Employee may elect to make additional contributions into a separate 457 Deferred Compensation Account up to the IRS annual maximum.
01
Have you had an active membership in good standing in the California State Bar for a period of at least ten (10) years prior to appointment, unless inactive membership was due to previously holding the position of judge, referee, or commissioner?
02
Are you a citizen of the United States of America, and have residency in California?
03
Are you willing to take an oath of allegiance to support and defend the Constitution of the State of California?
04
Have you ever held public office as a judicial officer or have you ever been a candidate for such an office? If so, provide the details, including the offices involved, whether elected or appointed and the dates of your service.
05
List all courts in which you are presently admitted to practice and include the date of admission to each court. Provide the same information for administrative agencies having special admission requirements.
06
If you are a practicing lawyer, describe with specificity, the nature of your current practice; include any areas of emphasis and specialization certified by the State Bar of California, and the nature of your typical cases.
07
If you are a sitting judicial officer, describe with specificity the court on which you sit, the nature of your current assignment, including any areas of emphasis, and the nature of the typical cases you hear. If your assignment is substantially different now than in the past, give the details of your prior assignment and include the time periods involved.
08
With respect to your entire career, how many years of civil litigation experience do you have?
09
With respect to your entire career, how many years of criminal practice experience do you have? Please also describe any experience you have in mental health legal practice.
10
With respect to your entire career, how many years of family law practice experience do you have?
11
With respect to your entire career, how many years of juvenile delinquency practice experience do you have?
12
With respect to your entire career, how many years of juvenile dependency practice experience do you have?
13
Provide the number of cases you have tried to verdict in courts of record during your career and include whether you were sole, associate or lead counsel. How many of these cases were (1) civil, (2) criminal, (3) jury, and (4) non-jury?
14
With respect to the past ten (10) years, what percentage of your practice has been devoted to litigation?
15
With respect to the past ten (10) years, how frequently have you appeared in court (times per month on average)?
16
With respect to the past ten (10) years, how frequently have you appeared at administrative hearings (times per month on average)?
17
With respect to the past ten (10) years, what percentage of your appearances has been in: (1) federal courts, (2) state courts, (3) administrative agencies, and (4) arbitrations?
18
List cases you have tried to verdict in courts of record during the past five (5) years and include whether you were sole, associate or lead counsel, the case name and number, court, date, and type of case. (If there were more than five such trials, please limit your list to the last five trials.)
19
Relating to the cases listed in Question 18, please name the party represented, include the name of the judicial officer presiding, and the names and addresses and telephone numbers of co-counsel, if applicable, and opposing counsel.
20
Summarize your experience in court prior to the last ten (10) years. If during any prior period you appeared in court with greater frequency than during the last ten (10) years, indicate periods during which this occurred and explain.
21
If you lack significant trial experience, describe the experience or special skills you possess that you believe qualify you for a judicial position.
22
Describe the nature and extent of your service, if any, as a referee, a judge pro tem, an arbitrator, or as a mediator, either privately or through a judicial arbitration program.
23
Relating to Question 22, describe the five (5) most significant cases. List the dates of your service, and the counsel involved (include names, addresses, phone numbers).
24
If you do not currently hold judicial office, have you ever held judicial office or been a candidate for judicial office? If so, identify the courts involved, whether elected or appointed, the dates of service and dates of candidacy.
25
If you have had prior quasi-judicial service, provide the name of the agency, the position held the type of matters, the number of matters adjudicated, and the dates of service.
26
If you have previously applied to be a Court Commissioner, specify the court(s) to which you applied and the date(s).
27
List by date any honors, prizes, awards, scholarships, fellowships or other forms of recognition that you have received.
28
List all Bar associations and legal professional societies in which you are or have been a member and give the titles and dates of any offices you held and committees on which you serve or have served.
29
List all organizations and clubs, other than the Bar associations and professional societies identified in response to Question 28, in which you have been a member during the past fifteen (15) years; include the titles and dates of any offices you have held and committees on which you served.
30
Briefly describe the nature and extent of any free legal services you have provided to nonprofit organizations, indigent individuals, and others. Include pro bono experience. Include the names and addresses of such organizations and/or individuals where appropriate.
31
Briefly describe the nature and extent of any leadership positions you have held in non-professional community activities.
32
Describe the nature and extent of your involvement in community affairs other than those previously mentioned.
33
Have you written, edited or published any legal books, articles, and letters to the editor or reports? If so, please list them, giving full citations, dates, and a general description of the subject matter. Please attach a copy of any letters to the editor or articles you have authored.
34
Have you ever held a bonded position? If so, specify the nature of the position, dates and amount for the bond.
35
Has anyone ever sought to recover upon your bond or to cancel same? Provide details if you answered "yes".
36
Have you been refused bond? Provide details if you answered "yes".
37
As an attorney or judicial officer, have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics or unprofessional conduct by, or been the subject of a complaint to, any court, administrative agency, bar association, disciplinary committee or other professional group? If so, provide the details, including the applicable date and disposition for each incident. (Identify every complaint even if it was dismissed or did not result in disciplinary action.)
38
As a member of any organization, or as a holder of any office or license (including driver's license), have you ever been suspended or otherwise disqualified or had such license suspended or revoked? Have you ever been reprimanded, censured or otherwise disciplined? Have any charges, formal or informal, ever been made or filed against you? If so, provide the details, including the date, disposition and name and address of the organization in possession of the records thereof, for each incident.
39
Have you ever been summoned, cited, arrested, taken into custody, indicted, convicted or tried for, or charged with, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, the violation of any felony or misdemeanor (excluding traffic infractions), or have you ever been requested to appear before any prosecuting attorney or investigative agency in any matter, military or civil? If so, provide the details, including the date, description of the alleged offense, locality and disposition for each incident.
40
As a member of any public office or as an attorney, have you ever been suspended, disbarred, or otherwise disqualified or had your license suspended or revoked; or have you ever been reprimanded, censored, or otherwise publicly or privately disciplined; or are there any charges formal or informal, presently pending against you? If so, provide the details, including dates, dispositions and name and address of the organization in possession of the records thereof, for each incident.
41
Have you or your professional liability insurance carrier ever settled a claim against you for professional malpractice? If so, provide the details including the amounts involved and name address and telephone number of the claimant and claimant's counsel for each incident.
42
Have you ever been sued by a client? If so, provide the details, including the case name and number, court, resolution, and name, address and telephone number of the counsel for the plaintiff in each case.
43
Have you ever been a party to or claimed an interest in any civil proceedings (including dissolution of marriage, bankruptcy, damage suits, etc.)? If so, provide the details, including the case name and number, court, disposition, and name, address and telephone number of counsel for the parties in each case.
44
Have you ever been a party to or otherwise involved in any other legal proceedings? If so, please provide the details. Do not list proceedings in which you were merely a guardian ad litem or stakeholder. Include all legal proceedings in which you were a party in interest, a material witness, named as a co-conspirator or co-respondent, and any grand jury investigation in which you were identified as a subject or target, or in which you appeared as a witness. Provide the details including the name address and telephone number of counsel for the parties in each case.
45
Are there any unsatisfied judgments (including any orders for child and/or spousal support) against you, or are you in default in any way in the performance or discharge of any duty or obligation imposed upon you by decree or order? If so, provide the details.
46
Have you ever been sanctioned in excess of $1000 by any court, or have you ever been cited for contempt of any court or tribunal having the power of contempt? If so, provide the details including date and name, address and telephone number of the judicial officer involved and counsel for the opposing parties in each case.
47
Have you ever been charged in any civil, criminal or administrative action with conduct alleged to involve moral turpitude, dishonesty and/or unethical conduct? If so, provide the details, including the applicable date and name, address and telephone number of the counsel for the opposing parties in each case.
48
Has a tax lien or other collection procedure ever been instituted against you by federal, state or local authorities? If so, provide the details, including the amount at issue and the dates and status of the claim or other collection procedure for each incident.
49
Have you filed appropriate tax returns as required by federal, state, local and other government agencies? If not, provide the details including an explanation, the amount at issue, date and resolution for each incident.
50
If any articles or allegations have ever been printed, broadcast or otherwise made public concerning you or your activities, views or statements (irrespective of factual accuracy) that may reflect adversely on your character or job performance, identify the material, explain fully, and attach a copy of each publication to this application. (If the volume is extensive, attach representative samples of the publications and specify where the balance may be reviewed.)
51
If you served in the military, provide the dates, the branch in which you served, your rank and the type of discharge you received. If your discharge was less than Honorable Discharge, provide an explanation.
52
Describe any aspects of your personal business or professional conduct or background that may reflect positively and/or adversely on you or the Court or which you believe should be disclosed to the Court in connection with this application.
53
Within the last ten (10) years, have you ever had a substance abuse problem (including alcohol and/or drugs)? If so, describe the nature of the problem, dates, and any steps you took to correct it.
54
Are you able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform the requirements of a Court Commissioner? These requirements include, but are not limited to: Attentively, receiving, analyzing and concentrating on information for a total of eight or more hours within a workday; Perceiving a courtroom clearly and reviewing all types of evidence including exhibits; Reviewing and processing substantial volumes of information, originally presented in written form (e.g. legal briefs, cases, jury instructions, transcripts.); Comprehending attorneys and others; Absorbing, analyzing and weighing complex issues quickly and accurately; responding to situations with discretion, judgment and restraint while under pressure; and Travelling by means of private transportation to any location in Sonoma County to perform assigned duties.
55
Is there any reason that, with or without reasonable accommodation, you could not exercise the discretion, judgment and emotional and mental discipline required of a Court Commissioner?
56
Are you aware of any individuals or groups who may oppose your selection? If so, identify the potential opponents and provide an explanation.
57
If you are now an officer or director of any business organization or otherwise engaged in the management of any business enterprise, please give details, including: (a) the name of the enterprise; (b) the nature of the business; (c) the title of your position; (d) the nature of your duties; and (e) the term of your service. If it is not your intention to resign such positions and give up any other participation in the management of any foregoing enterprises, please indicate so, and give your reasons.
