You got a ticket, a landlord won’t return your deposit, or a jury summons just landed in your mailbox. The fastest way through LA’s court system is knowing which building handles what, when the counters are actually open, and which tasks you can finish without standing in a hallway line.
Most civil matters for the Central Judicial District are at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N. Hill St. in Downtown’s Civic Center. Public doors open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m.; the Clerk’s Office windows run 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday except court holidays. The Metro B and D lines stop one block away at Civic Center/Grand Park Station, which can cut a morning parking hunt to five minutes of stairs and security screening.
Criminal cases downtown are heard at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, 210 W. Temple St., with the same public schedule as Mosk: doors at 7:30 a.m., Clerk’s Office windows 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Traffic matters for central LA are typically at the Metropolitan Courthouse, 1945 S. Hill St., where you’ll line up behind other ticket holders and people asking about payment plans or traffic school.
You do not have to drive downtown if your case is assigned elsewhere. South Bay and Long Beach–area civil and traffic matters often land at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse, 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach (building 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Clerk’s Office 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). In the Valley, civil and family calendars are split between Van Nuys Courthouse West, 14400 Erwin St. Mall, and Van Nuys East on Sylmar Ave. Farther north, Antelope Valley cases are heard at the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse, 42011 4th St. W, Lancaster, with public counters generally 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
A quick way to decide which building to enter: check your case type and the address where the dispute happened. Personal injury and other unlimited civil cases filed in the Central District are routed to Stanley Mosk; traffic infractions list the assigned traffic courthouse on your citation or courtesy notice; criminal summonses and minute orders specify Clara Shortridge Foltz unless your case is assigned to a regional criminal courthouse.
| Task | Primary LA courthouse | Address | Public / Clerk hours |
| Civil lawsuit filings, name change, most Central civil hearings | Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles | 7:30–4:30 / 8:30–4:30, Mon–Fri |
| Felony and other criminal matters in DTLA | Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center | 210 W. Temple St., Los Angeles | 7:30–4:30 / 8:30–4:30, Mon–Fri |
| Traffic tickets for central LA | Metropolitan Courthouse | 1945 S. Hill St., Los Angeles | 8:00–4:30 / 8:30–4:30, Mon–Fri |
| Civil and traffic, South Bay/Long Beach area | Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse | 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach | 8:00–4:30 / 8:30–4:30, Mon–Fri |
| Civil/family calendars, San Fernando Valley | Van Nuys Courthouse West | 14400 Erwin St. Mall, Van Nuys | 8:00–4:30 / 8:30–4:30, Mon–Fri |
| Antelope Valley matters | Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse | 42011 4th St. W, Lancaster | 8:00–4:30 / 8:30–4:30, Mon–Fri |
California small claims has strict dollar caps. In LA County, individuals can sue for up to $10,000; corporations and other businesses are capped at $5,000. Filing fees scale with the amount you’re claiming: $30 for claims up to $1,500, $50 for $1,500.01–$5,000, and $75 for $5,000.01–$10,000. If your household income qualifies, you can apply for a fee waiver using Judicial Council forms FW‑001 and FW‑003 at the time you file.
Interpreters are available at no cost in small claims if you ask in advance. LA Superior Court’s interpreter request portal covers small claims and other civil case types; submit as early as possible so the court can schedule coverage.
For many civil case types in LA, including small claims for self-represented filers, you can use eFiling through an approved provider. Two timing rules matter if you are trying to meet a deadline: the court deems civil eFilings received before 11:59 p.m. on a court day as filed that same day when accepted, and the court charges a $2.25 eFiling service fee per transaction in addition to your provider’s fee and any mandatory filing fee. If you prefer paper, you can file at a Clerk’s Office window during 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on business days.
Expect a courtesy notice by mail about 3–4 weeks after a citation is entered into the court system. That notice shows your due date, bail, eligibility for traffic school, and where to appear if you want an arraignment. If you choose traffic school and you are eligible, LA Superior Court adds a nonrefundable $64 traffic school processing fee on top of the bail and the school’s own tuition.
If the amount due is out of reach, LA County’s online Ability to Pay tool lets you ask for more time, a lower amount, or a payment plan for traffic and other infractions without visiting a courthouse. You can also request traffic school online, by phone, by mail, or at the counter. If you want to contest the ticket, you can schedule an arraignment or proceed by trial by declaration if available for your violation type.
Most central-area traffic hearings and customer service lines are handled at Metropolitan Courthouse, 1945 S. Hill St. Bring your courtesy notice or citation number, plan your arrival for security and lines, and know that cameras and recording devices cannot be used inside any courtroom.
LA Superior Court follows statewide compensation rules. Jurors are paid $15 per day starting on the second day of service, plus $0.34 per mile round trip from the second day. If you prefer transit to mileage, the Court’s transportation programs can load value for bus and rail travel, up to $12 per day, via an EPass or Metrolink option instead of mileage reimbursement.
If your summons lists a downtown courthouse, plan for doors opening at 7:30 a.m. at Stanley Mosk and Clara Shortridge Foltz. Many regional courthouses open doors at 8:00 a.m. and run public counters 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. If you drive, some sites have juror-designated lots; instructions come with your reporting notice. If you ride transit, Civic Center/Grand Park Station on the B and D lines is a one-minute walk to the Stanley Mosk side of Grand Park.
Security screening is airport-style and strict. You will be turned away with pepper spray, aerosol cans, knives, or anything else that can be used as a weapon. Phones can enter the building but cannot be used to photograph or record inside any courtroom unless you have judge-approved media permission.
Two free resources save most first-timers an extra trip. The LA Law Library at 301 W. 1st St. is open Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Staff can point you to the right Judicial Council form packet, sample language, and practice guides you can read on-site without charge.
The County’s Self-Help Legal Access Centers operate inside several courthouses. For example, the Van Nuys Self-Help Center at 6230 Sylmar Ave., Room 350 is open Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–4:00 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. The Inglewood Self-Help Center at 1 E. Regent St., Room 107 runs Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–4:30 p.m., and Friday 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. These walk-in rooms focus on step-by-step help with civil forms such as evictions, divorces, guardianships, name changes, and civil restraining orders.
For protective orders, filing rules depend on the type. There is no filing fee to request a Domestic Violence Restraining Order, and courts provide emergency processing. For Civil Harassment restraining orders, a filing fee may apply unless the petition alleges violence, stalking, threats, or sexual assault, in which case no fee is charged. Fee waivers remain available across case types where permitted by law.
Stanley Mosk Courthouse and the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center open to the public at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays; Clerk’s Office windows operate 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Most other LA courthouses open doors at 8:00 a.m. with the same counter hours.
Yes. Self-represented small claims filers can use eFiling through an approved provider. The court charges a $2.25 eFiling service fee per transaction in addition to any provider fees and the standard filing fee. You can still choose to file in person at a Clerk’s Office window.
When the court grants traffic school eligibility, LA Superior Court adds a nonrefundable $64 processing fee on top of the bail and your school’s tuition. You can request traffic school online, by phone, by mail, or in person before your due date.
Central civil matters are at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N. Hill St. The Metro B/D-line Civic Center/Grand Park station is about a one-minute walk across Grand Park to the courthouse entrance.
When you know which building matches your task and what the counters consider “on time,” your day gets simpler. Use transit downtown when you can, bring only what security will admit, and if you’re filing under a deadline, eFile early in the evening so acceptance posts on the date you intend.
Published: September 7, 2026