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Jury Scam alert -

The Santa Barbara Superior Court has received complaints about individuals trying to scam members of the public by pretending to be court officers or officials. The Jury Services office of the Santa Barbara Superior Court does not call citizens to request payments for failing to appear for jury duty. California law does not permit citizens to pay a fine in lieu of jury duty. If you receive such a call simply hang up and, if the scammer persists, call your local law enforcement agency. Learn more about the recent scam warning.

Effective September 3, 2024:

For jurors reporting to, or serving in, Santa Barbara - limited jury parking available at 1021 Santa Barbara Street

Juvenile Division

Juvenile Court

In California, as in all states, there is a separate court system for persons under the age of 18, who are known as minors or juveniles. The juvenile court system was established with the belief that children could be successfully rehabilitated through intensive counseling, education and guidance, rather than punishing them in the adult criminal justice system.

PLEASE NOTE: Juvenile case information is confidential and no information will be provided over the phone.

What are the types of Juvenile cases heard by the Court?

The juvenile courts have the ability to intervene in three different types of circumstances:

  1. Delinquents are persons under 18 years of age who have committed an illegal act which, if committed by an adult, would be considered a criminal offense, such as a felony or misdemeanor. (Welfare & Institutions Code §602.) 
  2. Status offenders are minors who have committed offenses which are only illegal due to their age and would not be considered illegal if committed by adults. Examples: truancy, running away from home etc. (Welfare & Institutions Code §601.) 
  3. Dependent children are those who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. (Welfare & Institutions Code §300.) The juvenile court must decide who will be responsible for the care of these children.

Juvenile Transfer Information

As required by Rule 5.610(f)(2) of the CA Rules of Court, the following information is provided regarding Transfer-In Hearings on cases transferred from another county.

North County

Hearings are held in North County at the Juvenile Courthouse, 4285 California Blvd., Ste. B, Santa Maria, CA 93455.

Juvenile Delinquency

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:30 a.m., Courtroom SMJ1

Juvenile Dependency

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:30 p.m., Courtroom SMJ1
  • Court Clerk contact information: (805) 614-6587. Phone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Juvenile Probation

Probation is a juvenile justice alternative which assigns a probation officer to a minor. The probation officer supervises the minor to ensure that he/she obeys all laws.  If the minor successfully completes the conditions of probation, the case against the minor will be dismissed. If the minor does not successfully complete the conditions of his probation, the officer will request the district attorney’s office to file the petition against the minor and court action will proceed.

More Information

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