You get a notice with a courthouse name you’ve never heard of and a time that seems earlier than anyone should be downtown. The good news is that LA’s court system is predictable once you know where to go, when the doors actually open, and which tasks you can do online instead of waiting in a line.
Most court buildings in the county open to the public 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except court holidays. Two central buildings open earlier: the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 N Hill St and the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center at 210 W Temple St both open at 7:30 a.m. Spring Street Courthouse at 312 N Spring St operates 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. across the week. Clerk’s counters inside all courthouses run on a separate schedule of 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Those three addresses anchor how LA business is divided. Stanley Mosk handles countywide civil filings including family law, probate, and many small claims calendars. Clara Shortridge Foltz, often called “CCB” by locals, is the downtown criminal tower. Spring Street is a large civil site that houses limited civil departments. If your ticket or summons lists “Metropolitan Courthouse,” that’s the traffic-heavy building at 1945 S Hill St just south of the 10.
Security screening is the gate between the sidewalk and your courtroom. Plan your arrival for at least 20–30 minutes before a morning hearing. If you need the Clerk’s Office, remember those windows do not open until 8:30 a.m. even when a building opens at 7:30 a.m.
| Courthouse | Main role | Public building hours | Clerk’s Office hours | Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley Mosk Courthouse | Civil, family, probate, many small claims | 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (weekdays) | 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | 111 N Hill St, Los Angeles |
| Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center | Criminal (felony and misdemeanor) | 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (weekdays) | 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | 210 W Temple St, Los Angeles |
| Spring Street Courthouse | Civil (limited jurisdiction and related) | 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (weekdays) | 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | 312 N Spring St, Los Angeles |
| Metropolitan Courthouse | Traffic and certain misdemeanors | 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (weekdays) | 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | 1945 S Hill St, Los Angeles |
Parking is paid around these buildings. Jurors sometimes receive special arrangements or can swap mileage reimbursement for transit, but day-to-day visitors should budget for a garage or meter near the address printed on their notice.
Filing a small claims case in LA County follows statewide fees based on the amount you are suing for. The fee is $30 if your claim is up to $1,500, $50 for more than $1,500 up to $5,000, and $75 for more than $5,000 up to $12,500 when the filer is a natural person. If you have filed more than 12 small claims cases in California in the past 12 months, the fee is $100 regardless of the claim amount. If paying any of those is a hardship, ask for a fee waiver at filing.
You can file small claims in person at the proper courthouse for your ZIP code, or use LA Superior Court’s small claims eFiling through approved electronic filing service providers. Self-represented filers may eFile by choice. If your case is already set, you can also request a court interpreter online at no cost; LA’s interpreter request portal covers Small Claims, Traffic, Civil, Family, Probate, Criminal and more.
Petitions to change a name must be filed in the county where the petitioner lives. In LA County the standard civil “first paper” fee applies to a name change petition, which is $435 unless you qualify for a fee waiver. Publication in a newspaper is not required in some situations, including a request to conform a name to gender identity or when the petitioner is in the state Address Confidentiality Program. Check the court’s name change page for the two local forms that accompany statewide forms (LACIV 109 and LACIV 226) so your filing is complete the first time.
For most civil case types, LA Superior Court accepts filings electronically through certified providers, and attorneys are generally required to eFile. Self-represented litigants are permitted to file electronically but are not required to. Civil eFilings are deemed received on the calendar day they are submitted as long as they meet the California Rules of Court timing standard; documents filed after the daily cut‑off are received the next court day. As of spring 2026, the court rescinded its countywide civil “courtesy copy” general order, which means most departments no longer require paper duplicates after a successful eFiling unless a judge or courtroom page specifically asks for one.
LA Superior Court’s online Civil, Small Claims, Family, and Probate name index is a paid search. Guest users pay $4.75 per search. Registered users pay $1.00 per search for their first 10 searches each month, then $4.75 per search for searches 11 through 99, with graduated rates beyond that. The index includes decades of cases. If you need older records, the site points you to the Court Archives.
For traffic and other infraction tickets, LA Superior Court has three common paths that many people use, depending on their situation.
If you cannot afford your fine, you can request a reduction or more time to pay using the statewide MyCitations tool that LA participates in. If granted, the court can reduce the amount due, extend time, put you on a modified plan, or convert eligible amounts to community service. The request is free to submit and can be done without coming to court.
LA allows an installment plan under Vehicle Code section 40510.5. When you enroll, you agree to pay and forfeit bail according to a schedule. The program requires a minimum 10% initial payment. If you pay installments online, there is a $5 online transaction fee per payment. There is no online transaction fee when you pay at a courthouse window.
Some courthouses run night court calendars for traffic arraignments only, not trials. If your reminder says night court is available where your citation was filed, you can call that courthouse to schedule a night arraignment. This is useful if daytime work hours make it hard to appear, or you want to ask for time to pay in person. For general help or to schedule by phone, the Traffic Call Center at 213‑633‑6300 is staffed 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
LA’s LACourtConnect platform is available for many traffic arraignments and most civil hearings. The court’s published recovery fee for an audio appearance is $15. Recording or livestreaming any hearing is prohibited by court rule. If your proceeding type is not eligible for LACourtConnect in traffic, your reminder or the eligibility page will say so. Appeals and photo‑red‑light trials are common examples that must be done in person.
LA follows statewide juror compensation rules. Jurors are paid $15 per day beginning on the second day of service. Mileage reimbursement starts that second day as well at $0.34 per mile, calculated one‑way from home to court. Several courthouses participate in transit programs that let you exchange mileage for transit, including an EPass for Metro bus and rail or Jurylink for Metrolink service. If you prefer to drive, check your summons for site‑specific parking directions. If you rely on transit, the EPass option is often quick to request at check‑in.
Two timing details help reduce surprises. Downtown buildings at 111 N Hill St and 210 W Temple St open doors at 7:30 a.m. for screening, which is handy if you are instructed to arrive early for orientation. And if you are moved between nearby sites to balance juror pools, your summons will still control pay and reimbursement; the court itself handles any inter‑building shuffling.
LA County operates a network of Self‑Help Centers inside courthouses, run with legal aid partners, that can help you complete forms and understand court processes without giving individualized legal advice. Standard walk‑in hours are Monday–Thursday 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Locations include a central site at Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N Hill St, Room 426F, and regional rooms in Chatsworth, Long Beach, Pomona, Van Nuys, and Lancaster. The court encourages appointments for clerk and self‑help services, but walk‑ins are seen during posted hours.
Language access is built in. LA’s interpreter request portal covers Small Claims, Civil, Family, Probate, Criminal, and Traffic. Requests are free. If you need an interpreter, submit the request as soon as you receive a hearing date so the court can assign a certified interpreter for your language.
The two downtown hubs, Stanley Mosk at 111 N Hill St and CCB at 210 W Temple St, open their doors at 7:30 a.m. for security screening. Clerk’s counters open at 8:30 a.m. Plan at least 20–30 minutes to clear security so you are seated before the calendar starts.
The filing fee depends on your claim amount: $30 up to $1,500, $50 over $1,500 up to $5,000, and $75 over $5,000 up to $12,500 for natural persons. If you have filed more than 12 cases in the past 12 months, the fee is $100. If you cannot afford the fee, ask for a fee waiver at filing.
For many traffic arraignments, yes. LA uses LACourtConnect and lists eligibility by case type. The court’s published recovery fee is $15 for an audio appearance. Some traffic matters, like appeals or photo‑red‑light trials, must be in person.
File in the superior court of the county where you live. In LA County the filing is treated as a civil “first paper,” which is $435 unless you qualify for a fee waiver. LA requires two local forms with the statewide packet so your petition is complete.
When in doubt, match your paper to your courthouse and your courthouse to its hours. If you can shift a task online, do it. That one choice often means you show up only when a judge needs to see you, not when a line does.
Published: September 4, 2026