Los Angeles Court Dockets

Los Angeles court docket records are kept by Los Angeles County Superior Court. The city has no separate court system. All cases filed by or against LA residents go through the county courts. You can search dockets online or visit one of many courthouses located within the city limits. The court system handles civil, criminal, family, and probate cases for the most populous city in California. Millions of docket entries exist for cases filed in Los Angeles over the past decades.

Court Dockets for Los Angeles Residents

Los Angeles sits in Los Angeles County. The county Superior Court manages all court dockets for the city. You do not file cases with a city court. You file them at a county courthouse. Los Angeles has several courthouses within its boundaries. Each serves a different area of the city.

The Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown handles major civil cases. Criminal cases go to the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center at 210 West Temple Street. Family law cases get filed at the Stanley Mosk building or at other locations depending on where you live in the city. Traffic cases have their own courthouse locations across Los Angeles.

No matter which courthouse you visit, the clerk can help you search for dockets. Staff at each location can pull up cases filed anywhere in the county. They can also guide you to the right online portal if you prefer to search from home or work instead of visiting in person.

Search Los Angeles Court Dockets Online

Los Angeles County Superior Court offers online docket access. Civil cases can be searched at the county civil case index. Criminal cases have a separate search portal. Both systems charge fees for name searches. Searching by case number costs less if you already know the number from a prior search or court document.

Many Los Angeles residents start their search online to find case numbers. Then they visit a courthouse to view documents for free at a public terminal. This saves money on download fees. You only pay copy fees if you need paper printouts. Online access works well for checking docket status quickly. But courthouse visits give you the full picture when you need to review many documents in a case file.

The main court website at www.lacourt.org has links to both search portals. You can also find courthouse addresses and phone numbers on that site. The court updates the online databases daily. New filings usually appear within a day or two of when they get filed at a courthouse.

Courthouses in Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown LA has several major courthouses. The Stanley Mosk Courthouse sits at 111 North Hill Street. This building handles civil cases, family law, and probate matters. It is one of the busiest civil courthouses in the nation. Hundreds of cases get filed there each week.

The criminal courthouse stands nearby at 210 West Temple Street. All felony cases for the county start here. Arraignments take place daily. Trials fill the calendar months in advance. Public defenders and prosecutors work out of offices in the same building. You can watch court proceedings from the public galleries if you arrive early enough to get a seat.

Traffic court operates at a separate location. Parking in downtown LA can be tough. Arrive early to find a spot or use public transit. The Metro Red Line stops near the courthouses. Many people take the train to avoid parking hassles when they need to search for dockets or appear in court.

Other Los Angeles Area Courthouses

Los Angeles County operates courthouses in many parts of the city. The Van Nuys courthouse serves the San Fernando Valley. Santa Monica has its own courthouse for West LA cases. South LA cases often go through courthouses in Compton or Inglewood. Each location keeps its clerk office open during business hours for docket searches and filing new cases.

You do not have to visit downtown for most court business. Find the courthouse closest to where you live. Call ahead to confirm they handle your type of case. Some courthouses specialize in certain matters. Others handle all case types. The court website lists which courthouse serves which area of Los Angeles.

Court Docket Fees

Los Angeles County charges for online searches. Name searches run about five dollars each. Document downloads cost extra. Viewing docket entries may be free once you find the case. But pulling up filed documents adds per page fees. These fees help fund the online system and reduce costs for taxpayers.

Free access exists at courthouse terminals. Walk into any clerk office. Ask to use a public computer. Search all you want at no charge. Print copies for fifty cents per page. Certified copies cost more. Most people use this option when they need many documents or want to avoid online fees.

Attorneys and frequent users sometimes buy unlimited search packages. These cost a few hundred dollars per month. For one or two searches, paying per search makes more sense. For daily use, the monthly package saves money over time.

Legal Help in Los Angeles

Several groups offer legal help to LA residents. The Los Angeles County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. Call them to get connected with an attorney who handles your type of case. They charge a small fee for the first consultation. After that, you work out fees directly with the lawyer.

Public Counsel provides free legal aid to low income residents. They focus on family law, housing, and immigration cases. They do not handle criminal defense. Call ahead to see if you qualify for their services. Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles also serves people who cannot afford a lawyer. They handle civil cases only.

Each courthouse in Los Angeles has a self help center. Staff can show you how to search for dockets. They can explain what you see on a docket sheet. They cannot give legal advice. But they can point you to the right forms and resources if you want to represent yourself in court.

Nearby Cities in Los Angeles County

These nearby cities also use Los Angeles County Superior Court for their docket records:

Court Records in Other Major California Cities

Looking for court dockets in other large California cities? Try these: