The Alhambra Courthouse, 150 West Commonwealth, Alhambra, CA 91801, hears civil, criminal and probate cases, sharing the court's Northeast District with Pasadena. Which building actually has your case comes down to where the offense allegedly happened, since the court assigns criminal filings by city or area, not by a building's name; your own paperwork settles it.
Does the Alhambra Courthouse hear my kind of case?
Alhambra hears civil, criminal and probate cases, unlike several other Los Angeles Superior Court buildings that also handle family law, small claims or traffic matters.
The Superior Court of Los Angeles County's own courthouse listing names three case types for this building, civil, criminal and probate; a family law, small claims or traffic matter connected to Alhambra is heard somewhere else. Local Rule 2.3(a)(3) requires that "criminal complaints must be filed at the courthouse handling criminal matters which serves the city or unincorporated area where the offense is alleged to have occurred," and the Northeast District, where Alhambra sits, contains only the Alhambra and Pasadena courthouses. The Local Rules do not publish a city-by-city list of exactly which building serves which Northeast District city, so your own citation, notice to appear, or release paperwork remains the surest way to confirm this is your courthouse; the firm's Los Angeles County courthouse assignment guide explains how the filing rule works across the rest of the county. If your matter turns out to belong at the Northeast District's other building, see the firm's separate guide to the Pasadena Courthouse.
How do I find my case and court date?
A name search on the Superior Court's own public tool costs a flat $4.75 per name, charged whether or not it finds a match.
The court's Public Access Online Services system offers a "Search for Case by Defendant Name" tool built for criminal cases, with Exact Match, Starts With, or Sounds Like search options. The court's own public-access fee rule charges $4.75 per name search, whether or not the search returns a result. With a case number already in hand, the court's case search instead returns a case summary and any scheduled future dates. Check first the papers given at release, such as a citation, a notice to appear or jail release paperwork, because they are the most dependable record of both. For someone in custody, the Sheriff's Inmate Information Center searches by name and date of birth, and (213) 473-6100 answers custody questions.
What happens at arraignment?
The law gives someone held in custody the right to a judge within 48 hours of arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays; release and citation cases instead follow the paperwork's date.
Penal Code 825(a)(1) requires that a person held in custody "be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays." Should those 48 hours run out while court is not in session, Penal Code 825(a)(2) extends the time "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," so the deadline runs through the end of that session, and the same subdivision sends a Wednesday arrest, made after that day's session has ended, to court no later than the following Friday, provided neither day is a court holiday. At arraignment the judge must tell you the charge and your right to counsel at every stage, under Penal Code 858(a). From there, Penal Code 1382 sets statewide trial deadlines absent a waiver or good cause: a felony trial within 60 days of arraignment on an indictment or information, a misdemeanor trial within 30 days of arraignment or plea, whichever is later, if you are in custody, or within 45 days if you are not.
Bail and release for an Alhambra case
Many lower-level, non-violent arrests are released without a dollar bail amount at all; where money bail is required, it must generally be set at a reasonably attainable amount.
The court's Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol opens both Los Angeles County bail schedules, felony and misdemeanor, each effective January 1, 2026: many lower-level, non-violent arrests end in release on the person's own recognizance at zero-dollar bail, with no cash figure. Zero-dollar bail is not available for serious or violent crimes, for offenses on the Penal Code 1270.1 list, or for any offense carrying a sentencing enhancement; those still need the schedule's dollar amount or a court hearing. When a judge does set bail, In re Humphrey requires weighing your ability to pay and whether nonfinancial conditions could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure your appearance. In re Kowalczyk (2026) adds that, in noncapital cases, bail may be denied only for the offenses in article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution, and that money bail must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable. The firm's answer on how California bail amounts are set covers the county rules in more depth, and the court's felony and misdemeanor schedules list the protocol's categories and the dollar amounts.
Can I appear remotely instead of going to Alhambra?
A misdemeanor case can often proceed remotely with the defendant's consent; a felony defendant who waives physical presence can too, but not at trial and generally not at sentencing.
Penal Code 977(a)(1) lets someone facing only a misdemeanor charge appear through a lawyer instead of in person, and with their consent, video or phone can cover the first appearance, arraignment, plea and nearly everything short of an actual jury or court trial; two situations keep the defendant in the room regardless, misdemeanor domestic violence (arraignment and sentencing) and, at a judge's discretion, misdemeanor DUI. Felony cases flip that default: Penal Code 977(b)(1) keeps the defendant physically present for arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, the evidence phase of trial and sentencing, with a waiver under 977(c) allowing a remote appearance at arraignment, plea and the preliminary hearing, though never at trial or at sentencing itself, apart from postconviction relief work or whatever else the law separately permits. Alhambra's own criminal courtrooms joined LACourtConnect on June 16, 2025, the Superior Court's own second-phase rollout for this district; once a remote appearance is actually allowed, the system itself runs through Microsoft Teams on the court's welcome page, with no sign-up needed beforehand.
Hours, parking and getting inside
The courthouse keeps standard weekday hours, pay parking sits to its south, and every visitor passes through security screening at the door.
The courthouse is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and its Clerk's Office 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except court holidays. The court's own listing places a pay parking lot on the south side of the courthouse. Local Rule 2.29 requires security screening for weapons and other prohibited items at every Los Angeles Superior Court building, and anyone refusing a lawful screening order is denied entry.
Who handles an Alhambra criminal case?
Public Defender, Alternate Public Defender, District Attorney, Probation and PreTrial Services offices all sit inside the building, and the county's District Attorney prosecutes every Alhambra felony and misdemeanor.
Asking for a lawyer at arraignment triggers Penal Code 987's requirement that the court appoint one if you cannot afford counsel, with Government Code 27706(a) keeping that representation "without expense to the defendant." Five offices sit inside this building: the Public Defender, first floor, (626) 308-5324; the Alternate Public Defender, fourth floor, Room 406, (626) 308-7070; the District Attorney, first floor, (626) 308-5302; Probation, first floor, (626) 308-5278; and PreTrial Services, also first floor at (626) 308-5572. Because Alhambra is absent from the County District Attorney's own exception list of ten cities with a separate city prosecutor, that single county office handles every felony and misdemeanor arising here. See the firm's answer on the difference between a public defender and a private attorney for how the two roles compare.
What if I miss a court date?
A missed date can lead to a bench warrant, and willfully skipping court to dodge the case can become a separate charge of its own.
A judge may issue a bench warrant under Penal Code 978.5 when someone released on bail or on their own recognizance misses a required court appearance; after a signed citation without bail, Penal Code 853.8 says the magistrate "shall issue" a warrant within 20 days of the missed date. When the no-show is willful and meant to dodge the case, the law makes it a separate crime: Penal Code 1320 for an own-recognizance release, scaled to the original charge, and Penal Code 1320.5 for a felony bail release. Someone who already has a warrant out can learn how one gets recalled or quashed in the firm's answer, what to do about a California bench warrant.
Talk to a lawyer about an Alhambra case
If you or someone in your family is facing a criminal matter tied to the Alhambra Courthouse, talk to a lawyer before the court date. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, with payment plans and service in Spanish. Call (800) 755-5174 or request a free consultation online. See also the firm's Alhambra criminal defense and Alhambra DUI pages.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Alhambra Courthouse hear family law or small claims cases?
No. The court's own listing names civil, criminal and probate cases for this building; a family law, small claims or traffic matter connected to Alhambra is heard at a different courthouse.
Who prosecutes a misdemeanor arrest in Alhambra?
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office handles it: Alhambra is not among the ten cities its FAQ carves out of its misdemeanor work.
Is bail automatic cash at the Alhambra Courthouse?
No. The county's Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol releases many less serious, non-violent arrests before a judge sets bail, at zero dollars, though more serious offenses still require the schedule amount or a court hearing.
Can a misdemeanor defendant skip appearing in person at Alhambra?
Often, yes, if the defendant agrees to a remote appearance through LACourtConnect; a felony defendant can also appear remotely after waiving physical presence, but not at trial and generally not at sentencing.
Where do I park at the Alhambra Courthouse?
The court's own listing places a pay parking lot on the south side of the building; every visitor also passes through security screening at the entrance.
Is there a PreTrial Services office at the Alhambra Courthouse?
Yes. The courthouse's own directory lists a PreTrial Services office on the first floor, at (626) 308-5572.