It handles cases from the Tustin area, Orange, Santa Ana, and the surrounding cities. Additionally, it manages civil cases, complex civil cases, and post-preliminary hearing felonies from around the county. As the main courthouse in Orange County, it is divided into four sections, comprising two towers, an annex, and a jail court for those in custody. Understanding courthouse procedures is crucial when visiting the Santa Ana Courthouse in Orange County. The most important thing to know is that court officially starts at AM.
However, not every courtroom begins at this time. While cases are scheduled for AM, proceedings may not commence until or even AM. Each courtroom differs in how it starts. Additionally, several cases on the traffic calendar begin at PM, typical for traffic trials. However, the court tends to be relatively empty between AM and PM. Moreover, there are exceptional holidays that close the court. Often, police officers mistakenly write down a holiday for a court date on a citation, which can result in a missed arraignment and necessitate a return visit to check on your case.
The Santa Ana Courthouse offers several parking options. An arraignment is your first court date, preceding the pretrial process. It is when you either accept or deny the charges against you. Arraignments apply to both misdemeanor DUI cases and felony cases. In a felony case, where prison time is a possibility, you will be appointed a public defender.
For misdemeanor cases, you may have no attorney, your own attorney, or a public defender. For misdemeanor cases, most arraignments are held in department C The court handles misdemeanor and felony cases, as well as a number of civil and traffic cases from the surrounding area.
Civil cases typically involve monetary disputes. Complex civil cases entail disputes over larger amounts or involve appeals or writs against governmental agencies. Security measures are enforced at both entrances to the courthouse, including the Civic Center entrance and the back parking lot entrance. Both feature metal detectors for public safety. Visitors are required to remove belts and empty their pockets into a basket for screening of dangerous weapons. Bringing any type of weapon or illicit drugs into the courthouse is illegal.
