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You are here  :   General Info
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Description of the Court

The Superior Court of California, County of Sierra is a unified Superior court, served by two judges, one family support commissioner (AB1058), and four permanent employees.

The court has one presiding judge: the Honorable William W. Pangman.

The Court has facilities in two locations:

Downieville, CA: Mailing Address: P.O. Box 476, Downieville, CA 95936
Physical Address: 100 Courthouse Square, Downieville, CA
Telephone: 530-289-3698
FAX: 530-289-0205
Loyalton, CA: Mailing & Physical Address: 604B Main Street, Loyalton, CA
Telephone: 530-993-4912

Directions:

TO DOWNIEVILLE


From Nevada City/Grass Valley:

 Take Highway 49 north to Downieville. Once in town, turn right at the Union 76 station, cross the bridge, and go up a short hill. The courthouse will be the large white building with the blue roof on the right.

From Truckee:


Take Highway 89 to Highway 49 south toward Downieville. Once in town, turn left at the stop sign, go one block and turn left at the Union 76 Station. After you cross the bridge and go up a short hill, the courthouse will be the large white building with the blue roof on the right.

TO LOYALTON

From Truckee:

Take Highway 80 east to Truckee. Then proceed on Highway 89 north to Sierraville. At the Highway 89/Highway 49 junction, proceed to the Right (Highway 49 east) to Loyalton. The court building is located at 604B Main Street (behind Plumas Bank) in Loyalton.

From Downieville:

Take Highway 49 east to Loyalton.

Or use this link for directions from other locations:  
For current road conditions, call 1-800-427-ROAD (1-800-427-7623) or use this link  to check on-line.
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Court Administration

Jan Hamilton
Court Executive Officer

100 Courthouse Sq., 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 476
Downieville, CA 95936

(530) 289-3698 phone
(530) 289-0205 fax
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Court Officers

Superior Court (Elected)
William W. Pangman, Presiding Judge
Term Expires: January, 2011

John P. Kennelly, Judge
Term Expires: January, 2013

Jan Hamilton
Court Administrator
(Non-Elected position)

100 Courthouse Sq., 2nd Floor
P. O. Box 476
Downieville, CA 95936

(530) 289-3698 phone
(530) 289-0205 fax
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Family Law - Facilitator

Available for Nevada and Sierra Counties

201 Church Street, Suite 10, Nevada City, Ca 95959
Phone # 530-470-2567 fax 530-478-1946

Gretchen Serrata, Facilitator
Connie (Consuelo) Vargas-Martin, Legal Assistant/Servicios Bilingue


Services :

  • Helping you help yourself with family law issues through the use of our self-help library, books, videos, forms and information
  • Mediating child and spousal support issues between you and your former partner
  • Calculating guideline child and spousal support
  • Answering child and spousal support related questions
  • Communicating with the department of child support services regarding unusual problems
  • Mediating other family law issues by referral from a Judge
  • There is NO CHARGE for services.

The Family Law Facilitator, Gretchen Serrata is an attorney available to help all parents/parties, who are not represented by attorneys, and who have questions concerning family law matters, such as issues about child support, spousal support, health insurance, paternity and the visitation process, and community resources to help families. The Facilitator can help you in preparing your own forms and can give you general information. The Facilitator cannot go with you to court.

The Facilitator is not your lawyer, but is a neutral person who does not represent any parent/party. No Attorney-client relationship is created between the Facilitator and a person using the Facilitator's services. The Facilitator is available to see both parents/parties who have questions concerning family law matters. There is no confidentiality created between the Facilitator and a person using these services. You should consult with your own attorney if you want personalized advice or strategy, to have a confidential conversation, or to be represented by an attorney in court.

The Family Law Facilitator is not responsible for the outcome of your case.

The Family Law Facilitator is usually available in court to answer your questions and to help you understand the process.

Schedule:

The Family Law Facilitator is available in Nevada City, Truckee, Downieville and Loyalton at various times throughout each month. Please call 530-470-2567 to schedule an appointment.

What is Mediation?

Mediation is an alternative to resolving your child and spousal related issues in court.
Mediation is a cooperative problem solving process between the parties, with the assistant of a trained mediator.
Mediation is not therapy. The goal of mediation is to help you and your former partner come up with a plan designed to meet your families' support needs without going to court. If you both agree, Ms. Serrata can mediate child or spousal support and related issues with you. Agreements reached through mediation are reduced to writing and will become a court order. With a mediated agreement, the parties need not appear in court. Often the parties generally need only submit an agreement to the court for the Judge's signature and filing.

One of the most important benefits of mediation is that an agreement reached in mediation is more likely to be honored by the parties and reduces the likelihood of litigation in the future.
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