Ruling on Municipal Judges Is Upheld

Municipal judges can try cases on the Ventura County Superior Court bench, a state appeals court said Tuesday, rejecting an appeal of a court consolidation plan.

The county public defender’s office had challenged the court officials’ decision to allow two Municipal Court judges to act as Superior Court judges.

In the appeal, Deputy Public Defender Christina Briles contended that the consolidation violated voter rights, jurisdictional limits, and separation of the Municipal and Superior courts.

But the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Ventura denied the writ and refused to give an opinion on the issue.

Briles said the public defender’s office is considering other options, such as an appeal to the state Supreme Court or a federal court. She said a decision would be made within a week.

But Assistant County Counsel Robert Orellana said the state appeals court decision not to hear the issue vindicates charges that Ventura County court officials implemented their consolidation plan illegally.

“We don’t think a federal court would be interested in this because there are no federal issues” in dispute with the consolidation, Orellana said.