Courts in California follow one statewide structure, yet you deal with them one county at a time. Each of the state's 58 counties has a Superior Court, and almost every case starts there: traffic tickets, evictions, divorces, small claims, felony charges and juvenile matters. This page explains how the system is organized, how a Los Angeles branch courthouse differs from a mountain-county location, and what to do before you leave home for a hearing.

How California's Court System Is Organized

The California Constitution sets up three levels. Superior Courts are the trial courts. Six Courts of Appeal review their decisions, and the California Supreme Court sits at the top. The Supreme Court is based in San Francisco, though it also hears arguments in Los Angeles and Sacramento. The Judicial Council of California, chaired by the Chief Justice, writes statewide court rules, approves the standard forms used in every county and oversees court administration.

The structure changed sharply in the late 1990s. The Trial Court Funding Act of 1997 moved primary funding for trial courts from the counties to the state. Voters then approved Proposition 220 in 1998, which let counties merge their municipal and superior courts into one Superior Court. Every county completed that merger by the early 2000s. The Trial Court Facilities Act of 2002 later shifted responsibility for most courthouse buildings to the state.

In practice, the rules and forms are the same everywhere, but each Superior Court sets its own local rules, hours, filing procedures and calendars. A form that works in Napa also works in San Diego. The clerk's window, e-filing system and courtroom assignment will still differ.

What a California Superior Court Handles

Many counties split these across several buildings. The courthouse that hears your landlord dispute may not be the one that hears your traffic ticket.

Metro and Rural Courts Across California

Los Angeles County is the extreme case. With 46 listings in our directory, it has more courthouse locations than any other county, and Los Angeles Superior Court is one of the largest trial court systems in the country. Branches are spread across the county: Hollywood Superior Court at 5925 Hollywood Boulevard, Beverly Hills Superior Court at 9355 Burton Way, the Downey Superior Court House at 7500 Imperial Highway, and Antelope Valley Superior Court at 42011 4th Street West in Lancaster. Some branches take only certain case types, so confirm before you drive. You can compare every location under Los Angeles County.

The Inland Empire adds distance. San Bernardino County covers more land than any other county in the lower 48 states. Its listings include San Bernardino Juvenile Court at 900 East Gilbert Street and Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court at 8303 Haven Avenue. In Riverside County, Riverside Criminal Court sits at 4100 Main Street, while Indio Juvenile Court at 47671 Oasis Street is the listing in the Coachella Valley, a long drive east. Use the address on your notice, not the nearest building.

Bay Area courthouses sit in dense downtowns where parking is scarce and transit is often easier. Santa Clara Family Court at 99 Notre Dame Avenue in San Jose is one of the main listings in Santa Clara County. Across the bay, Alameda Superior Court at 1225 Fallon Street in Oakland anchors Alameda County. San Francisco Superior Criminal Court is at 850 Bryant Street, and Martinez Superior Court, in the Contra Costa County seat, is at 725 Court Street.

The Central Valley spreads court business across mid-sized cities. Fresno Traffic Court is at 1255 Fulton Mall, Merced Superior Court at 2260 N Street, Modesto Juvenile Court at 2215 Blue Gum Avenue and Sacramento Superior Court at 720 9th Street. In Kern County, Bakersfield Superior Court at 1415 Truxtun Avenue is a primary listing. Valley counties are large, so check that you are filing in the county where your case belongs.

Rural and mountain counties work differently. Mono Superior Court II at 452 Old Mammoth Road in Mammoth Lakes gives eastern Sierra communities a nearby location. El Dorado Superior Court is at 2850 Fairlane Court in Placerville, and Marysville Juvenile Traffic Court is at 120 5th Street in Yuba County. Smaller courts may hold some calendars only on set days, so call the clerk to confirm.

Finding the Right Courthouse and Preparing for Your Visit

Start with the paperwork you already have. Tickets, summonses, subpoenas and hearing notices normally print the courthouse address, department number and date. Follow that, not a web search for the nearest courthouse.

Fees, Fee Waivers and Free Help in California Courts

Court fees vary by case type, and many are set statewide. If you cannot afford them, ask for a fee waiver using form FW-001, Request to Waive Court Fees. You may qualify if you receive public benefits such as Medi-Cal or CalFresh, if your income falls below a set level, or if paying would leave you unable to cover basic needs. The clerk can give you the form, and filing it costs nothing.

Every county also runs a court self-help center, and state law provides a family law facilitator in each county. Both are free. They explain forms, deadlines and procedures, though staff provide legal information rather than legal advice. Courts provide interpreters in criminal and juvenile matters, and California law now extends interpreter services to civil cases. Ask the clerk early so your hearing is scheduled with an interpreter.

Traffic matters are the most common reason people visit a courthouse. Your notice lists a due date, and ignoring it can bring additional charges. You can pay, ask about traffic school if you are eligible, contest the ticket at trial, or request an ability-to-pay review if the fine would be a hardship. Fresno Traffic Court handles that work in Fresno, and Marysville Juvenile Traffic Court is the listing for minors in Yuba County.

Courts in California operate under a unified state judicial system that handles everything from traffic infractions and small claims disputes to major felony trials and civil litigation. The California Supreme Court serves as the highest state court with authority over all state court matters.

Courts locations are available in 173 cities across California. They are spread across 56 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Los Angeles, San Jose, Fresno, reflecting areas where county seats and urban centers house multiple court divisions to handle high caseloads.

Residents of California should know which court has jurisdiction over their matter — whether it is a municipal, district, circuit, or superior court — before filing documents or appearing for a hearing.

Courts by Counties

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
V
Y

Residents of California who need to access court services should identify the correct court for their matter, check the court's website for filing fees, forms, and procedures, and consider using the court's self-help resources if they are not represented by an attorney.

Browse Courts by county across California to find the nearest location.

Reading the California Courthouse Listings

Our California listings are courthouse locations, and the names follow local usage rather than one official format. Orange County Superior Court I at 751 West Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana, Mono Superior Court II in Mammoth Lakes and the Downey Superior Court House all describe real buildings, but the label may differ from what appears on your notice. Always match the street address on your paperwork.

Phone numbers come from public records and can change when a court reorganizes its clerk's offices. A few listings, including Martinez Superior Court at 725 Court Street, have no phone number on file. In that case, call the main clerk line for the Contra Costa County Superior Court. When you reach someone, ask three questions: which department hears your case, when the filing window is open, and whether your hearing can be attended remotely.

Distance matters in a state this large. Santa Rosa Superior Court at 1450 Guerneville Road, Fairfield Superior Court at 600 Union Avenue and Napa County Superior Criminal Court at 1111 3rd Street are all North Bay locations, but each belongs to a different county court, and cases are not interchangeable between them. Counties with many listings, such as Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Santa Clara and Riverside, have several branches, so confirm you are going to the correct one before travelling.

Start with the document that began your case. A traffic citation, eviction summons, restraining order or hearing notice lists the court name, address and often the department. In California, a case generally belongs in the Superior Court of the county where the events happened or where the defendant lives, though the rules vary by case type. Inside large counties, the branch also depends on the case type. A listing such as San Bernardino Juvenile Court at 900 East Gilbert Street is set up for juvenile matters, so ask there about those cases, not at a civil branch. With no paperwork, call the county's main clerk line and request a case search.

Individuals can ask for up to $12,500, and businesses up to $6,250. Filing fees run $30, $50 or $75 depending on the amount you claim, and they are higher for people who file many claims in a year. Neither side may have a lawyer speak for them at the hearing, although you can get advice beforehand. You generally file in the county where the defendant lives or does business, or where the incident happened. A defendant who loses may appeal for a new trial, but the person who filed the claim cannot. Each county's self-help center explains the forms and process for free.

File a Request to Waive Court Fees, form FW-001, with the clerk at the court where your case is or will be filed. You may qualify if you receive benefits such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI or CalWORKs, if your household income is below the state threshold, or if paying would keep you from meeting basic needs such as food and housing. A judge or clerk reviews the request. Approval can cover filing fees, jury fees and certain other costs. A waiver does not erase fines in criminal or traffic cases. For those, ask the court about an ability-to-pay determination.

Read the notice for your due date and the court address. Then choose one path: pay the bail amount, ask about traffic school if your violation and driving record qualify, request a trial, or ask for an ability-to-pay review if the amount would cause hardship. Many courts let you handle this online or by mail. In Fresno, Fresno Traffic Court at 1255 Fulton Mall can be reached at 559-488-2626. Missing the deadline can bring added charges, so contact the clerk before it passes if you need more time or have questions about your options.

Juvenile courts hear two kinds of cases. Delinquency cases involve a minor accused of breaking the law. Dependency cases involve the court stepping in to protect a child from abuse or neglect. Hearings are generally closed to the public and records are confidential, so you may need to show you are a party to the case. Parents, guardians and minors normally receive notice and have the right to an attorney, with one appointed if they cannot afford it. Our directory lists San Bernardino Juvenile Court, Modesto Juvenile Court at 2215 Blue Gum Avenue and Indio Juvenile Court at 47671 Oasis Street.

You can be summoned if you are a US citizen, at least 18, a resident of the county that sent the summons, and able to understand English well enough to follow a case. Certain felony convictions can disqualify you. Your summons explains how to respond online or by mail, and most people can postpone service or request a hardship excuse. Many courts follow a one day or one trial approach. Jurors receive a modest daily fee beginning on the second day, plus a mileage allowance. Ignoring a summons can lead to a fine or contempt, so respond by the date printed on it.