What You Need To Know About Orange County Superior Court of California

A Unified State Trial Court that serves Orange County in California may also be referred to as the Superior Court. There are 8 distinct locations throughout Orange County and it is important to realize that criminal cases are not the only type managed by this system. In fact, the court is prepared to hear all matters of probate, traffic, civil, mental health, family law and criminal cases.

Furthermore, the Orange County superior court operates a veteran’s court, drug courts, a homeless court, DUI courts, and a Laura’s Law court. Parking tickets are citations and infractions managed by the issuing agency. With more than 3 million residents living in Orange County, this is one of the largest state trial courts across the country and there are 124 judges and 20 commissioners operating within the Superior Court of California.

The court manages their own information technology systems and personal systems as well. They are considered technologically one of the most advanced courts in the country.

At the West Justice Center, this court facility manages minor offenses; traffic and criminal. It is located at 8141, 13th street in Westminster, California. This court serves Stanton, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Garden Grove and Fountain Valley.

Attending your criminal appearance will require looking directly at the bail or bond paperwork, the citation, the release paper or the arraignment letter from the prosecuting agency. You will need to appear at the Justice Center location outlined on that particular paperwork. You will need to report to the courtroom department number in the Orange County Superior Court or other location at the appropriate hearing time.

If you notice that your court case is listed on the calendar, you will proceed directly to the courtroom. Typically, appearances are scheduled for 8:30 in the morning, which makes it all the more important to arrive early and get appropriate parking location. If you notice that your case is not posted on the calendar for that day, then you will need to check with the criminal division’s clerk’s office for further information.

The Orange County Superior Court operates the following locations for case issues:

  •        The Central Justice Center, which has a criminal division on the first floor. It’s located at 700, Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana.
  •        The West Justice Center managing the criminal division outside the windows at 8141, 13th Street, Westminster.
  •        The North Justice Center has the main entrance of the upper level dedicated to the criminal division. It is located at 1275, North Berkeley Avenue, Fullerton.
  •        The Harbor Justice Center Newport Beach facility manages criminal division cases on the first floor and can be found at 4601, Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, California.

Through the various locations of the Orange County Superior Court, a variety of different crimes are managed, including infractions, misdemeanors and felonies. Some common examples of each include traffic violations for infractions, vandalism and petty theft for misdemeanors, and robbery, murder and rape or possession of illegal drugs for sale as felonies.

Talking with a talented attorney is strongly recommended if you are preparing for a current criminal case. Regardless of the type of infraction, misdemeanor or felony you are facing, it is imperative to identify an experienced criminal defense attorney in Orange County who will assist you with all aspects of managing your case effectively.