The Superior Court of Los Angeles County
The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles handles state trial-court matters for the most populous county in the state. The court runs 36 courthouses, with services spread across nine subject divisions and twelve judicial districts. The court hears unlimited civil, limited civil, unlawful detainer, family law, probate, juvenile, mental health, traffic, small claims, and criminal cases. Appeals from limited civil, misdemeanor, infraction, and small claims post-judgment matters can go first to the LA Superior Court Appellate Division before they reach the state appellate courts.
California unified its trial courts in 1998. Before that change, counties had separate municipal and superior courts. The merger gave each county one trial court. Los Angeles County's Superior Court grew into the largest such court in the nation. The court reports to the Judicial Council of California and follows the California Rules of Court. Local rules and general orders fill in the procedure for filings, e-filing, and hearings.
California Court Hierarchy
California has three core court levels. The Judicial Branch of California describes them on its overview page. The Supreme Court sits at the top. Six Courts of Appeal sit in the middle. Fifty-eight Superior Courts sit at the trial level, one in each county. Appeals from Los Angeles Superior Court go to the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District. The Supreme Court reviews discretionary matters and must review death-penalty cases.
The Judicial Branch overview page is the best entry point for the structure of the state court system. It shows where the LA Superior Court sits in the larger ladder.
The Supreme Court overview page lists the same three-tier structure: 58 trial courts, six appellate districts, and one Supreme Court. The state has the largest judicial system in the country by case volume.
Superior Court vs Appellate vs Court of Appeal vs Supreme Court
The four state court layers handle different work. Trial courts try cases. Appellate divisions inside the Superior Court review limited civil, misdemeanor, infraction, and small claims post-judgment matters. The Court of Appeal handles felony appeals and unlimited civil appeals from Los Angeles Superior Court. The Supreme Court takes the cases the appellate court could not finish.
| Superior Court | Appellate Division | Court of Appeal | Supreme Court | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Trial court | Limited appellate review | Intermediate appeal | Highest state court |
| Hears | Civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, mental health, traffic, small claims | Limited civil, misdemeanor, infraction, small claims post-judgment, writs | Unlimited civil appeals; felony appeals | Discretionary; mandatory in death-penalty cases |
| Where | 36 courthouses in LA County | Stanley Mosk Room 607 | Second District, downtown LA | Statewide; San Francisco headquarters |
| Authority | Cal. Const. art. VI, § 5 | LA Superior Court general orders | Cal. Const. art. VI, § 3 | Cal. Const. art. VI, § 2 |
A case at the Superior Court can move up the ladder by appeal or writ. Most cases never leave the trial level.
The Nine Divisions
LA Superior Court legal matters are handled in nine divisions. The court lists each on its main page and groups courthouses by division on the courthouse browser. The divisions cover the full range of state trial work in the county. Some divisions sit in only a few courthouses; others spread across many.
- Appellate (1 courthouse)
- Civil (19 courthouses)
- Criminal (23 courthouses)
- Family Law (12 courthouses)
- Juvenile Dependency (4 courthouses)
- Juvenile Justice (7 courthouses)
- Mental Health (2 courthouses)
- Probate (2 courthouses)
- Small Claims (12 courthouses)
Traffic services run at 17 courthouse locations and report through the Traffic Division. PAOS criminal name searches do not include traffic infractions; users go to the Traffic Division portal instead. See the traffic court records page for the full traffic record path.
Twelve Judicial Districts
The court divides the county into twelve judicial districts: Central, East, North, North Central, North Valley, Northeast, Northwest, South, South Central, Southeast, Southwest, and West. Each district groups several courthouses. The Central Judicial District covers the downtown civic-center cluster of Stanley Mosk, Clara Shortridge-Foltz, Central Arraignment, and Spring Street. The North Valley district covers the Antelope Valley courthouses in Lancaster. The South district covers Long Beach. The Southeast district covers Norwalk and Downey.
A reader does not always need to know the judicial district to file or to look up a case. The case number, party name, and PAOS filing-location field do the work. But district names appear on official court pages and in some local rules. The court publishes the assignment list on its courthouse browser.
Note: Filing location is set by the court at the time of filing; a case may stay at that location for the life of the case even if the parties move.
Stanley Mosk Courthouse (Central)
Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 North Hill Street is the central civic-center courthouse. The court's official location page lists General Information at (213) 830-0800. Building hours run 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Clerk's Office hours run 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except court holidays. Stanley Mosk is the central hub for civil, family law, probate, small claims, appellate division, and civil appeals services. Room 112 issues certifications and copies of court records. Room 102 handles civil filing. Room 113 is the Small Claims Clerk's Office. The Appellate Division is in Room 607.
The courthouse sits near Grand Park, Los Angeles City Hall, and the cluster of central criminal and civil court buildings around Temple, Hill, Spring, and Bauchet Streets. Paid lots ring the courthouse, and metered street parking is limited on Grand Avenue and Hill Street. Security screening is enforced at every Los Angeles Superior Court location. Confirm garage rates before arrival, and review the court's general order on court security before bringing recording equipment, tools, or other questionable items.
Clara Shortridge-Foltz Criminal Justice Center
The Clara Shortridge-Foltz Criminal Justice Center at 210 West Temple Street is the major central criminal courthouse. The LASD court services list shows the phone as (213) 628-7900. The courthouse sits a few blocks from Stanley Mosk in the downtown civic-center cluster. Central felony arraignments and many high-profile criminal cases run through Foltz. The Central Arraignment Courthouse at 429 Bauchet Street handles arraignment work nearby; LASD court services list its phone as (213) 974-6282.
Other criminal courthouses across the county handle felony and misdemeanor matters by judicial district. Compton, Norwalk, Pomona, Long Beach, Van Nuys West, San Fernando, Pasadena, El Monte, Inglewood, Downey, Burbank, Glendale, Alhambra, Bellflower, Torrance, West Covina, Airport, Catalina, Antonovich Antelope Valley, and Santa Clarita all hold criminal calendars. Use a PAOS criminal search to find the filing location before any in-person visit.
Other Major Courthouses
Several courthouses sit alongside Stanley Mosk and Foltz as central hubs of court work. The Spring Street Courthouse at 312 North Spring Street handles complex litigation paper filings exempt from e-filing in Room 255. The Metropolitan Courthouse at 1945 South Hill Street holds civil, criminal, family law, and traffic divisions. The Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach is the South district anchor and holds six divisions. The Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse in Lancaster holds seven divisions, including the only probate division outside Stanley Mosk.
The Compton Courthouse holds the broadest mix outside Stanley Mosk and Antonovich, with civil, criminal, family law, juvenile dependency, juvenile justice, small claims, and traffic services. Pomona Courthouse South and Pasadena Courthouse run heavy civil and criminal dockets. Edmund D. Edelman Children's Courthouse in Monterey Park is the central juvenile dependency hub.
The Full LA Superior Court Courthouse Table
The court lists every courthouse with its address and the divisions it hosts. The full list below comes from the official LA Superior Court courthouse browser. Use the table to confirm a courthouse address and to check which divisions sit at each site. The table is split in three to keep the page readable while staying within the page's table cap.
| Courthouse | Address | Divisions |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Courthouse | 11701 S. La Cienega, Los Angeles, CA 90045 | Criminal |
| Alfred J. McCourtney Juvenile Justice Center | 1040 W. Avenue J, Lancaster, CA 93534 | Juvenile Dependency |
| Alhambra Courthouse | 150 West Commonwealth, Alhambra, CA 91801 | Civil, Criminal |
| Bellflower Courthouse | 10025 East Flower Street, Bellflower, CA 90706 | Criminal, Small Claims |
| Beverly Hills Courthouse | 9355 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | Civil, Small Claims, Traffic |
| Burbank Courthouse | 300 East Olive, Burbank, CA 91502 | Civil, Criminal |
| Catalina Courthouse | 215 Sumner Avenue, Avalon, CA 90704 | Criminal |
| Central Arraignment Courthouse | 429 Bauchet St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Criminal |
| Chatsworth Courthouse | 9425 Penfield Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311 | Civil, Family Law, Small Claims, Traffic |
| Clara Shortridge-Foltz Criminal Justice Center | 210 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Criminal |
| Compton Courthouse | 200 West Compton Blvd., Compton, CA 90220 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Juv. Dep., Juv. Just., Small Claims, Traffic |
| Downey Courthouse | 7500 East Imperial Highway, Downey, CA 90242 | Criminal, Traffic |
The next block of the inventory covers East Los Angeles through Pasadena and the geographic middle of the county.
| Courthouse | Address | Divisions |
|---|---|---|
| East Los Angeles Courthouse | 4848 E. Civic Center Way, Los Angeles, CA 90022 | Juvenile Justice |
| Edmund D. Edelman Children's Courthouse | 201 Centre Plaza Drive, Monterey Park, CA 91754 | Juvenile Dependency |
| El Monte Courthouse | 11234 East Valley Blvd., El Monte, CA 91731 | Criminal, Traffic |
| Glendale Courthouse | 600 East Broadway, Glendale, CA 91206 | Civil, Criminal, Traffic |
| Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse | 275 Magnolia, Long Beach, CA 90802 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Juv. Just., Small Claims, Traffic |
| Hollywood Courthouse | 5925 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Mental Health |
| Inglewood Courthouse | 1 Regent Street, Inglewood, CA 90301 | Civil, Criminal, Small Claims, Traffic |
| Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse | 110 Regent Street, Inglewood, CA 90301 | Juvenile Justice |
| Metropolitan Courthouse | 1945 South Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Traffic |
| Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse | 42011 4th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Juv. Just., Probate, Small Claims, Traffic |
| Norwalk Courthouse | 12720 Norwalk Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650 | Civil, Criminal, Mental Health |
| Pasadena Courthouse | 300 East Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Small Claims, Traffic |
The third block finishes the inventory with the Pomona, San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Stanley Mosk, and other remaining locations.
| Courthouse | Address | Divisions |
|---|---|---|
| Pomona Courthouse South | 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Juv. Dep., Juv. Just. |
| San Fernando Courthouse | 900 Third Street, San Fernando, CA 91340 | Civil, Criminal, Traffic |
| Santa Clarita Courthouse | 23747 West Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA 91355 | Criminal, Traffic |
| Santa Monica Courthouse | 1725 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Civil, Family Law, Small Claims, Traffic |
| Spring Street Courthouse | 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Civil |
| Stanley Mosk Courthouse | 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Appellate, Civil, Family Law, Probate, Small Claims |
| Sylmar Juvenile Courthouse | 16350 Filbert Street, Sylmar, CA 91342 | Juvenile Justice |
| Torrance Courthouse | 825 Maple Ave., Torrance, CA 90503 | Civil, Criminal, Family Law, Traffic |
| Van Nuys Courthouse East | 6230 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91401 | Civil, Family Law, Small Claims |
| Van Nuys Courthouse West | 14400 Erwin Street Mall, Van Nuys, CA 91401 | Criminal, Traffic |
| West Covina Courthouse | 1427 West Covina Parkway, West Covina, CA 91790 | Civil, Criminal, Small Claims, Traffic |
| Whittier Courthouse | 7339 South Painter Ave., Whittier, CA 90602 | Family Law |
The full list shows 36 courthouses across the county. The court warns that not every case type is at every courthouse. Always confirm the assigned location through PAOS or the courthouse directory before any in-person visit.
Civil Cases and Filing Locations
Civil cases run across 19 courthouses. Unlimited civil is centered at Stanley Mosk and Spring Street, with broad civil services at Compton, Pomona, Norwalk, Pasadena, Long Beach, Antonovich Antelope Valley, Inglewood, Torrance, Van Nuys East, Glendale, Burbank, Alhambra, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Chatsworth, Metropolitan, and San Fernando. Limited civil and unlawful detainer cases run at most civil courthouses. Civil filings use PAOS document images from March 15, 2000 forward at Stanley Mosk for unlimited civil, with Central Civil West documents filed on or before April 13, 2018 also covered.
Complex litigation is mandatorily e-filed since September 20, 2021. Paper filings exempt from e-filing are processed at Spring Street Courthouse Clerk's Office, Room 255. Civil clerical operations and copies of court records for central cases are at Stanley Mosk Room 112, with phone hours at (213) 830-0803 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Criminal Cases and Filing Locations
Criminal cases run across 23 courthouses. Central felony work happens at Clara Shortridge-Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Central Arraignment Courthouse at Bauchet Street handles arraignment work. PAOS criminal defendant searches return case number, defendant name, filing date, and filing location. Felony coverage runs from 1980 forward; misdemeanor coverage runs from 1988 forward, with some older misdemeanors going back to 1983 where former Municipal Court locations had automated records.
For arrest records and the difference between charges and convictions, see criminal records. For active warrants and bench-warrant resolution paths, the relevant clerk's office holds the case file. Traffic infractions and minor traffic misdemeanors do not show up in PAOS criminal search; the Traffic Division and the citation portal cover those.
Family Law and Juvenile
Family law services run at 12 courthouses, including Stanley Mosk, Compton, Pomona, Pasadena, Long Beach, Antonovich Antelope Valley, Torrance, Van Nuys East, Santa Monica, Chatsworth, Metropolitan, and Whittier. The Family Law Division hears divorce, legal separation, custody, parentage, support, and domestic-violence-related family matters. Divorce decrees are court records, not RR/CC vital records. See the marriage and divorce records page and the Clerk of the Superior Court page for the records side.
Juvenile dependency and juvenile justice records are restricted under Welfare and Institutions Code section 827. Dependency cases run at four courthouses; juvenile justice runs at seven. Access to juvenile case files is limited by statute. Public dockets and case files do not appear on PAOS for juvenile matters.
Small Claims and Traffic
Small claims hearings run at 12 courthouses. Stanley Mosk Room 113 is the central small claims clerk's office, with phone (213) 830-0803 and hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PAOS name searches cover small claims from 1992 forward. PAOS document images cover small claims from January 21, 1988 forward. California small claims limits are set by statute, and the court publishes the current limit on its self-help pages.
Traffic services run at 17 courthouses. The Traffic Division has its own online portal at the LA Court site, and citation lookup is built around the citation number, not a free name search. PAOS criminal search does not include traffic infractions. See traffic court records for the full citation-lookup path, DUI handling, CDL rules, and Trial by Written Declaration filings. Traffic infractions are not heard at Stanley Mosk Courthouse.
LA Superior Court Appellate Division
The Appellate Division of the LA Superior Court reviews trial-court decisions for appeals in infraction, misdemeanor, limited civil, small claims post-judgment enforcement orders, and related writs. The division sits at Stanley Mosk Room 607, with phone (213) 633-1070. Civil Appeals at Stanley Mosk Room 111A prepares and certifies appeal records for the Appellate Division and the Second District Court of Appeal. Civil Appeals phone is (213) 830-0822.
An unlimited civil appeal does not go through the Appellate Division. Those appeals run from the trial court straight to the Court of Appeal.
California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District
Appeals from Los Angeles Superior Court go to the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, for most felony and unlimited civil matters. The Second District sits in downtown Los Angeles and has its own appellate clerk's office. Court of Appeal opinions are published on the state Judicial Branch's court opinions search. The Second District covers Los Angeles County and several adjacent counties.
The Court of Appeal does not hold trial-court files. The case record sent up on appeal is prepared by the LA Superior Court Civil Appeals office and certified for transmittal. Appeal records, briefs, motions, and opinions appear in the Court of Appeal's case docket.
California Supreme Court
The California Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. The court reviews discretionary appeals on important legal questions and on conflicts among the Courts of Appeal. The court must review every case in which a trial court has imposed a judgment of death. The Supreme Court sits in San Francisco, with proceedings in Los Angeles and Sacramento during portions of the year. Its docket is available on the state court opinions search.
Note: A Los Angeles County case rarely reaches the Supreme Court; most cases stop at the Court of Appeal or earlier.
How a Case Moves Through the System
A state case in Los Angeles County moves through a fixed flow. Civil cases start with a complaint. Criminal cases start with an arrest or a charging document. The flow below shows the standard path for each side.
Criminal flow: Arrest › Booking at LASD › Arraignment at Central Arraignment or district criminal court › Preliminary hearing or grand jury › Felony arraignment or misdemeanor pretrial › Trial › Sentencing › Appeal to Second District Court of Appeal › Discretionary review by California Supreme Court.
Civil flow: Complaint filed at Stanley Mosk or district civil court › Service › Answer › Discovery › Motions › Trial setting › Trial › Judgment › Appeal to Second District Court of Appeal › Discretionary review by California Supreme Court.
Limited civil and misdemeanor appeal flow: Trial court judgment › Appeal to LA Superior Court Appellate Division (Stanley Mosk Room 607) › Possible transfer to Second District Court of Appeal in unusual cases.
Self-Help and Court Resources
The court runs an online self-help service catalog for self-represented parties. The catalog lists clinics, hours, and intake locations across the county. Family law, probate, small claims, and limited civil litigants all use the catalog as a starting point. The statewide California Courts Self-Help Guide is also a major resource for divorce, probate, eviction, sealing arrests, and traffic matters.
The statewide guide covers most pro se filers in Los Angeles County. It links forms, plain-English explanations, and step-by-step flow charts for the most common case types.
New Judicial Leadership: Judge Sergio C. Tapia II
On October 2, 2024, Los Angeles Superior Court judges elected Judge Sergio C. Tapia II as the new Presiding Judge. The change brought new local leadership for the court. The Presiding Judge oversees court operations, judge assignments, and policy across the 36 courthouses. The 2026 general order on probate e-filing in Los Angeles Superior Court was signed by Presiding Judge Tapia, which shows his role in current local rule updates.
Note: New presiding judges may issue general orders that change e-filing, hearing format, and clerk procedures; check the latest general orders on the court site before filing.
The 2025 LA Superior Court Website Redesign
The court previewed a redesigned user-focused website before July 1, 2025 and launched the new site on that date. The redesign reworked the homepage navigation, the courthouse browser, and the self-help service catalog. PAOS still runs on its own subdomain and the same fee schedule. Public Access Online Services kept its two-hour name-search result window and its 30-day purchased-document window.
The redesigned site organizes services around the nine divisions and the twelve judicial districts. The courthouse browser lets users filter by division and judicial district. The court continues to publish news, press notices, and general orders on its news/media page. Users with bookmarks to old PAOS pages should test the link before relying on it.