California Supreme Court to Hold Oral Argument in Sacramento

The California Supreme Court on Feb. 5 will mark its return to hearing oral argument in Sacramento, a tradition put on hold for five years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

The court plans to hear four cases during the session, held in its courtroom in the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall.

In 2025, 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.