Santa Barbara County Superior Court Overview
California runs one trial court per county, called the Superior Court. The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara hears civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, traffic, mental health, small claims, and unlawful detainer cases. The court is split into four geographic divisions plus juvenile sites in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. Each division has its own counter, but case files move through the same statewide case management system.
Many people who search for "Santa Barbara district court" land here. That is the right page in California. The state has no district court at the county level, no justice of the peace, and no county courts at law. Those names belong to other states. California folded its old municipal courts into the Superior Court between 1998 and 2001 under Proposition 220, and that is why every state case in Santa Barbara County now flows through one trial court.
The court has new leadership for 2026. Angela Braun was named Court Executive Officer effective March 2, 2026, replacing the retired CEO Darrel Parker. Judge Teresa Martinez was sworn in on May 9, 2025. Judicial assignments by department are posted on the court site.
Santa Barbara County Superior Court Home Page
The Superior Court home page posts current court notices, links to the Odyssey portal, lists each division's services, and warns of phone scams that pretend to be the court. See the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara home page.
The home page also points to court calendars, online services, jury, self-help, and the records request page used to order certified copies.
Santa Barbara County Superior Court Divisions
The court runs four geographic divisions, two juvenile sites, and shared services like jury and self-help. North and South County have their own criminal/traffic counters because the drive between Santa Barbara and Santa Maria is too long for a single counter to serve both sides.
| Division | Address | Phone | Primary functions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara - Anacapa | 1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | (805) 882-4520 | Civil, family, general court services and administration |
| Santa Barbara - Figueroa | 118 E. Figueroa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | (805) 568-3959 | Criminal, traffic, records window |
| Santa Barbara Jury Services | 1108 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | (805) 882-4530 | Jury reporting and call-in |
| Santa Barbara Juvenile | 1108 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | (805) 614-6579 | Juvenile dependency and delinquency |
| Santa Maria - Cook | 312 East Cook Street, Building E, Santa Maria, CA 93454-5165 | (805) 614-6414 | Civil cases and North County records |
| Santa Maria - Miller | 312-M East Cook Street, Building E, Santa Maria, CA 93454-5165 | (805) 614-6590 | Criminal and traffic |
| Santa Maria Juvenile | 4285-B California Boulevard, Santa Maria, CA 93455 | (805) 614-6579 | Juvenile dependency and delinquency |
| Lompoc | 115 Civic Center Plaza, Lompoc, CA 93436-6967 | (805) 737-7789 criminal/traffic; (805) 737-5452 civil | Civil, criminal, traffic |
| Solvang | 1745 Mission Drive, Suite C, Solvang, CA 93463-3605 | Local court services | Limited local matters |
Court visits sometimes confuse first-time users because the Hall of Records at 1100 Anacapa belongs to the County Clerk-Recorder, not the court records counter. The court records counter for South County is one block away at 118 E. Figueroa Street.
Historic County Courthouse
The Spanish Colonial Revival courthouse at Anacapa is one of the most photographed civic buildings in California. The court's historic courthouse page explains the architecture and the courthouse grounds.
The Anacapa courthouse holds civil and family business in the South County. Criminal and traffic cases hear at Figueroa, a short walk away.
Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate Divisions
The Superior Court is split by subject matter as well as by location. The Civil Division hears general civil, limited and unlimited civil, small claims, and unlawful detainer matters. The Criminal Division hears felony, misdemeanor, and infraction cases, plus traffic infractions. The Family Division hears divorce, legal separation, custody, support, domestic violence, and parentage cases. The Probate Division hears decedent estates, trusts, conservatorships, guardianships, and LPS mental health cases.
The court uses one case management system across all four divisions, so a search by name in the Odyssey portal returns matches from every division at once. Filter by case type (Civil, Criminal, Family Law, or Probate or Mental Health) to narrow the result set.
| Topic | Civil Division | Criminal Division | Family Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main case types | Contract, tort, small claims, eviction | Felony, misdemeanor, infraction, DUI | Divorce, custody, support, restraining orders |
| Records access | Online portal (CRC 2.503 limits) | In-person at records window; no online criminal index | Limited public access; child/financial filings sealed |
| Filing locations | Anacapa, Cook, Lompoc | Figueroa, Miller, Lompoc, Solvang | Anacapa, Cook, Lompoc |
| Statutes | Civil Code, CCP | Penal Code, Vehicle Code | Family Code |
Judicial Assignments and Departments
Each judge is assigned to a department and to a subject matter. The court posts the current list on its judicial assignments page, including the presiding judge and assistant presiding judge. Department numbers run from 1 through 14 in Santa Barbara and 1 through 10 in Santa Maria, with extra departments for Lompoc and Solvang.
The Search Hearings portal lets the public pick a department or a named judicial officer. Pairing department and date narrows the result set quickly.
Specialty Courts in Santa Barbara County
Several problem-solving programs run inside the Criminal and Family Divisions. Eligibility is screened by the District Attorney, Public Defender, probation, treatment partners, and the assigned judge. Programs do not replace a guilty finding by themselves; they offer a path that combines treatment with court supervision.
The Veterans Treatment Court serves veterans whose case is tied to military service, mental health, substance use, or reintegration. The CARE Act process is a civil court program for people with specified serious mental health conditions. Family Court Services runs mediation, family law classes, and PEACE online programs in English and Spanish.
The court also maintains a special programs directory with current eligibility notes and contact info.
Note: Specialty court eligibility is case-specific and is decided by the assigned judge after screening by prosecution and defense.
How a Case Moves Through the System
Cases start at the Superior Court and may rise on appeal to higher courts. California uses a four-tier system: Superior Court, Court of Appeal, and the California Supreme Court at the state level. The Superior Court's own Appellate Division hears appeals from limited civil judgments and from misdemeanor and infraction cases.
State appeal path: Superior Court › Appellate Division of the Superior Court (limited civil, misdemeanor, infraction) › California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District (felony, unlimited civil) › California Supreme Court (discretionary review)
Criminal flow: Arrest › Booking › Arraignment › Pretrial › Preliminary Hearing (felony) › Trial › Sentencing › Appeal
Civil flow: Complaint › Answer › Discovery › Case Management › Mediation › Trial › Judgment › Appeal
Santa Barbara County sits in the Second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal. Federal cases follow a different path; see the federal section below.
No District Courts, No Justice Courts in California
California's court structure is flat at the trial level. There is no separate district court, county court at law, or justice of the peace in California, as those terms are used in states like Texas, Colorado, or Nevada. Every state case filed in Santa Barbara County, no matter the dollar value or the charge level, opens in the Superior Court. Old municipal courts were folded into the Superior Court between 1998 and 2001 under Proposition 220.
The practical effect is simple. A small claims case for $500 and a felony case for armed robbery both start in the same court, although they go to different divisions and follow different rules. Search results for "Santa Barbara district court" should be read as Superior Court results; the case lookup tool is the same.
Federal Courts and the Superior Court Compared
The Superior Court hears state cases. Federal cases filed in Santa Barbara County go to the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Federal trial records are searched through PACER and CM/ECF, not the Odyssey portal. Federal appeals go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Federal bankruptcy is handled by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.
The Superior Court does not see federal criminal charges, federal civil rights suits, or bankruptcy. The same is true in reverse. State felony charges, family law, probate, eviction, and traffic infractions are state-law issues and go to the Superior Court, not federal court.
Courthouse Locations and Contact
Court hours run Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the clerk's window, with phones answered 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. A reduced clerk office hours notice was posted October 28, 2025. The locations and contact info page lists every phone and fax number, plus a fax address for filing emergencies. The Anacapa Division uses P.O. Box 21107, Santa Barbara, CA 93121-1107 for mail filings.
Jury service uses the 1108 Santa Barbara Street site at (805) 882-4530, with 24-hour jury information at (877) 544-5094. The juvenile court line for both Santa Barbara and Santa Maria is (805) 614-6579. Note: Same-day service is not guaranteed at any records window; bring a case number to speed the search.
Court Services and Access
The court runs a set of public services that work across all four divisions. ADA accommodation requests go through the court's ADA coordinator, ideally five court days before a hearing, so the court can schedule sign language, court reporters, or other accessibility help. Language access covers Spanish and other languages on request, plus telephonic interpreting for less common languages.
Court security is run by the Sheriff's Office under the court's court security and prohibited items page. Weapons, recording devices used without permission, and disruptive items are blocked at the door. Cell phones are allowed but must be silenced in the courtroom. The court also publishes a set of local rules that cover department assignments, filing procedures, and court hours.
The court's Legal Resource Center helps pro se filers with form packets for divorce, custody, small claims, probate, restraining orders, and name changes. Family Law Facilitator, Self-Help Center, and Family Court Services share the same phone tree at the Anacapa Division. Pro se filers can also use Odyssey Guide & File for guided document creation.