# Complex Litigation Courts

A number of state courts in the United States have created specialized programs or case tracks for complex civil litigation cases. The jurisdiction for these Complex Litigation Courts focuses on factors that make each case complex, and the use of judicial discretion in determining whether a case should be included on the complex litigation program's docket.

## Complex litigation programs in U.S. state court

California, Connecticut, Oregon, and Minnesota have created specialized courts or tracks for complex litigation, tying specialization to process and case management rather than legal subject matter, which could include some complex business and commercial disputes among a broader array of subject matter case types. Minnesota General Rule of Practice 146.02 provides an example of the process oriented nature of these specialized tracks. California's complex litigation programs are not statewide, but includes at least the following Superior Courts: Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara.

## Relationship to specialized business and commercial courts

There is a sufficient relationship between these specialized complex litigation dockets and business courts that, for example, former Orange County Complex Litigation Program Judge Gail A. Andler is a past president of the American College of Business Court Judges (ACBCJ), and a number of California's complex litigation judges (including Judge Elihu Berle), and Minnesota complex litigation Judge Jerome Abrams, have served as Business Court Representatives to the American Bar Association's Section of Business Law. Judge Abrams is a 2023-2024 Vice President of the ACBCJ. Judge Berle is also a current officer of the ACBCJ (as of May 2024), has spoken at its judicial education programs, and participated in its first meeting in 2005.
* ↑ Paula L. Hannaford-Agor, Nicole L. Mott & Timothy F. Fautsko. "EVALUATION OF THE CENTERS FOR COMPLEX CIVIL LITIGATION PILOT PROGRAM, Final Report, National Center for State Courts and California Administrative Office of the Courts (June 30, 2003)" (PDF).
* ↑ National Center for State Courts. "Complex Litigation: Key Findings from the California Pilot Program, Civil Action Vol. 3 Issue 1 (Winter 2004)".
* ↑ Connecticut, Special Sessions of the Superior Court. "Complex Litigation Docket".
* ↑ Hannaford-Agor, Paula L. "Focus on Business and Complex Litigation Courts, Civil Action Vol. 1 Issue 1 (National Center for State Courts Aug. 2000)". ncsc.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
* ↑ Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County. "Complex Litigation".
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. "Complex Civil Litigation Program".
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of Orange. "Complex Civil".
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. "Complex Litigation Department" (PDF).
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. "Complex Civil Cases".
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. "Complex Civil Litigation".
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. "Complex Civil Litigation".
* ↑ Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. "Complex Civil Litigation".
* ↑ "Judge Gail A. Andler - Comprehensive Profile: Analytics, Rulings & Recent Cases | Trellis.Law". trellis.law. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
* 1 2 "American College of Business Court Judges – Law & Economics Center". masonlec.org. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
* ↑ "New Ideas in Civil Case Management from Two California Complex Litigation Program Judges – Business Courts Blog". 2023-06-27. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
* ↑ "Los Angeles Superior Court, Civil Complex Litigation Judges" (PDF).
* ↑ "American Bar Association Business Law Section, Business Court Representatives".
* ↑ "american college of business court jduges". Bing. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
* ↑ "Fourteenth Meeting of the American College of Business Court Judges, Judicial Education Program" (PDF). October 30 – November 1, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
* ↑ American College of Business Court Judges, AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, Judicial Education Program, Washington, D.C., Advanced Law and Economics Insitute, October 30 - November 1, 2005, Judicial Participant List