CALIFORNIA: An Introduction to Litigation: Appellate

Appellate litigation in California reflects the size and diversity of the state. The California Supreme Court is a national leader in addressing emerging legal issues, and the intermediate Courts of Appeal ensure a deep and rich body of case law exploring a broad range of civil law issues.

Court Structure and Operation 

The California Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. Members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Governor after being reviewed by the California State Bar’s Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation and then being confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. Supreme Court Justices serve 12-year terms, after which they appear on the ballot in a state-wide “retention” election.

The Supreme Court exercises discretionary review in civil matters. It accepts only cases raising important legal issues, often where the lower appellate courts are in conflict—granting about 5% of all petitions for review filed in civil cases. The Court’s decisions bind all lower courts in the state. Understanding the narrow grounds on which the Court will grant review and the Court’s broad power to shape California law is critical to successfully litigating a matter in the California Supreme Court.

The Courts of Appeal hear all appeals from final trial court decisions and from certain prejudgment decisions. They also have discretion to review other prejudgment decisions but rarely exercise that discretion. There are six Court of Appeal Districts, divided geographically, with headquarters in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, Fresno and San Jose. Some Districts are further segregated into Divisions. For example, the Second Appellate District in Los Angeles has eight divisions, with a total of 32 Justices. No District, and no Division within a District, is bound by any other Court of Appeal’s precedent, though they try to harmonize where possible. Because of the sheer size and diversity of the appellate bench, knowledge of individual Districts and Divisions can be extremely helpful in assessing the likelihood of success on appeal, and in crafting effective briefs.

The Exceptional Importance of Briefing 

In cases where the Supreme Court grants review and in all appeals to the intermediate Courts of Appeal, the parties have a right to submit briefs and to be heard at oral argument. The party seeking review of a lower court decision files an opening brief, the opposing party files a brief in response, and the opening party may file a reply brief. Strong briefing is critically important in California, because the courts do not hold oral argument until the panel has developed a tentative opinion resolving the case, and the tentative result rarely changes (though some wording might). California appellate courts are extremely sophisticated, with each Justice assigned several research attorneys to aid in review of cases and preparation of opinions. The enormous volume of appeals makes it essential that briefs present concise and cogent arguments.

Use of Technology 

The Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal require electronic filing of petitions and briefs, as well as portions of the lower court record, via bookmarked PDFs. California also permits submission of fully hyperlinked briefs, allowing Justices and their attorney staff to see a cited case or portion of the record simply by clicking on the citation. This is particularly helpful in complex appeals, where it might otherwise be cumbersome for a Justice or research attorney to comb through an extensive record to find a particular reference. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the state made technological upgrades to its appellate courtrooms in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles to better facilitate remote and hybrid oral arguments. Though all appellate Districts and the Supreme Court have resumed hearing oral arguments in person, counsel still have the option (subject to varying requirements) to appear via video. Remote argument requires additional skills and preparation to handle effectively.

Oral Argument 

Appellants have a right to oral argument in California, though they can choose to waive it. Counsel will usually know the assigned Division by the time briefing commences, but the actual three-Justice panel that will hear and decide the case may or may not be revealed before argument day. As noted, panels hear oral argument with a tentative opinion already prepared, but very few Divisions share it with counsel in advance, and some do so only occasionally. Some arguments feature active questioning to both sides, while others do not. Oral argument rarely changes the tentative result, though it can produce changes to the text of an opinion that matter a great deal to the litigants. Cases are “submitted” at the conclusion of oral argument and the court must decide the case within 90 days after submission.

Precedential Power of Decisions and Timing 

All decisions of the Supreme Court are published in California’s “official reports” and are binding on all lower state courts. Most Court of Appeal decisions are not published in the official reports, and cannot be cited as precedent or even for persuasive effect. However, anyone—party or non-party—may ask a Court of Appeal panel to designate an opinion for publication, and if the panel declines, may then ask the Supreme Court to order publication. Publication most often occurs where the opinion addresses a significant or new rule of law, applies a settled rule to a new fact situation, or contains a legal discussion that makes an important contribution to the law. The Supreme Court can also order—on its own or by request from anyone interested—that a Court of Appeal opinion not be published in the official reports. Given how few cases the Supreme Court accepts for review, a depublication request may be a more viable way to prevent the development of adverse law than a petition for review.

The median time between initiating a civil appeal and the filing of the Court of Appeal’s opinion is about 18 months, but in the fastest Districts, 14 months is common. In the Supreme Court, there can be a delay of more than 18 months between the grant of review and oral argument.

Specialized Appellate Bar 

The complexity and nuance of California’s appellate system and its vast body of law have led to the development of a specialized appellate bar, reflected in both the State Bar’s certification of appellate specialists and peer-reviewed organizations like the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

There is a growing recognition in California that in significant cases, it may be necessary to lay the groundwork for a successful appeal in the trial court by having appellate counsel consult with trial attorneys to preserve issues for review and frame key filings like jury instructions and verdict forms. It is also imperative that litigants assess, early and objectively, the likelihood of success on appeal, what success would mean after remand, and the potential consequences of a published loss.