California Supreme Court Returns to Sacramento for Oral Argument

The California Supreme Court today returned to hold oral argument in Sacramento, a tradition put on hold for five years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was the first oral argument session in Sacramento for Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Justice Kelli Evans, and Justice Martin Jenkins, who joined the high court in 2022, 2023, and 2020, respectively.

The court heard four cases during the session, held in its courtroom in the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall. Chief Justice Guerrero also recognized two groups of students in attendance, hailing from C.K. McClatchy High School and the UC Davis School of Law's appellate advocacy class.

During the hiatus, the court made technological upgrades to its courtrooms in Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles to better facilitate livestreaming and remote oral arguments.

Last year, the court’s plan to return to Sacramento was thwarted by weather conditions, including flooding, intense winds, and power outages that forced the court to hold the session remotely. 

The court’s tradition of hearing oral argument in Sacramento—as one of three locations along with Sacramento and San Francisco—dates back to 1878.

This year, the court will hold oral argument sessions in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco as well as a special outreach session for students. The court also continues to support hosting oral argument in a hybrid format, allowing counsel to appear in person or with remote technology upon request.