El Dorado County criminal cases are heard at two court locations: the Placerville Main Street Branch, 495 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667, and the South Lake Tahoe Branch, 1354 Johnson Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. You can look up a case online, and the court's own bail schedule sets a starting amount for most charges.
This guide is part of our statewide California courthouse and jail directory, covering counties across the state. If you are trying to find out whether someone is currently in custody, see our El Dorado County Jail guide instead.
Which courthouse hears a criminal case in El Dorado County?
Criminal cases are heard at the Placerville Main Street Branch, in Departments 1, 2 and 7, and at the South Lake Tahoe Branch, in Department 3.
| Courthouse | Address | Phone | Criminal departments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placerville Main Street Branch | 495 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667 | (530) 621-5047 | Departments 1, 2, and 7 |
| South Lake Tahoe Branch | 1354 Johnson Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 | (530) 573-3044 | Department 3 |
The court's other two branches, Placerville Building C (2850 Fairlane Court) and Cameron Park (2927 Meder Road), hold no criminal pretrial or trial department, though Building C's Department 8 hears the Behavioral Health, Mental Health Diversion and Veterans Treatment Court calendars. The citation or notice to appear names the courthouse and the date; confirm with that paperwork or by calling the branch.
How do you look up an El Dorado County criminal case online?
El Dorado Superior Court's Web Portal lets you search case information and department calendars for any chosen day, once you create an account.
- Go to the court's Case Index & Department Calendars page, which links to the Web Portal.
- Click "Register," enter the required information, and agree to the terms of use to create an account.
- Check your email for the activation message, checking spam or junk folders if it does not appear right away.
- Once registered, search for the case by case or citation number; the portal also shows department calendars for a chosen day, though it does not keep complete calendars for past dates.
If you have a case number but want to see the file, submit Local Form M-5 by mail or at the clerk's counter. Without a case number, you can use the Online Case Index (which only covers cases filed after 2000) or submit Local Form M-6. A records search costs $15.00 for any search requiring more than ten minutes, plus $0.50 per page for copies.
What happens at your first court appearance?
A person held in custody must be brought before a judge within 48 hours, not counting Sundays or holidays, and at that first appearance the judge states the charge.
Penal Code section 825(a)(1) requires that "the defendant shall in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays." If those 48 hours end while court is not in session, Penal Code section 825(a)(2) extends the deadline to the end of the next court session on the following court day. Someone arrested on a Wednesday after court has closed must be brought before a judge by Friday, if neither day is a court holiday. This is a deadline for reaching a judge, not a charging deadline, and a person cited and released gets a court date on the citation instead.
El Dorado Superior Court's 2025 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, adopted under Penal Code section 1269b, is marked revised January 21, 2025, and sets a starting bail amount by offense, with a general entry for charges it does not list ($10,000 for an unlisted felony, and cite and release for an unlisted misdemeanor). This arrest bail schedule is a separate document from the court's statewide Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, which covers traffic and infraction fines instead. A schedule amount is only a starting point. The California Supreme Court held in April 2026, in In re Kowalczyk, that money bail "must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable, in order to effectuate the defendant's constitutional right to pretrial release on bail," and that outside capital cases, a judge may deny bail outright only for the offenses listed in California Constitution article I, section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c). In re Humphrey (2021) already required the judge to weigh a person's ability to pay, and to consider whether nonfinancial conditions such as supervision could reasonably protect the public and the victim or assure the person's presence at trial, before jailing them over money alone.
For a fuller walkthrough of arraignment and bail across California, see What Happens at an Arraignment in California and how California bail amounts are set.
Can you appear remotely in an El Dorado County criminal case?
El Dorado Superior Court takes remote appearances through Unicorn Digital Courtroom once a request is approved, and Penal Code section 977 sets when a defendant must appear in person.
The court's remote appearances page cites Penal Code sections 977, 977.3 and 1043.5, says Unicorn Digital Courtroom has been its platform for all remote appearances since February 2, 2026, and lists three steps: submit a request under its Local Rules; once it is approved, register no later than 15 minutes before the hearing; then join through Unicorn Digital Courtroom. It lists no remote appearance fees for criminal matters. Penal Code section 977 still decides presence: on a felony, the defendant must be physically present at arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, trial evidence and sentencing unless that right is waived, and even with a waiver a trial cannot be remote, nor a felony sentencing except in postconviction relief proceedings or where other law allows. On a misdemeanor, a lawyer can usually appear for the defendant, and with the defendant's agreement hearings other than a trial may be remote, though a misdemeanor domestic violence case requires the defendant at arraignment and sentencing and the court may order a DUI defendant to attend. Recording any part of a remote proceeding, including screenshots, is prohibited under California Rule of Court 1.150.
How do you request a court interpreter in El Dorado County?
Tell the court early: it takes interpreter requests on Local Form M-47, and a person charged with a crime has a right to an interpreter at no cost.
A defendant charged with a crime who does not understand English has a right to an interpreter at every stage of the case under California Constitution article I, section 14, and Evidence Code section 752(b)(1) makes the interpreter's cost a charge against the court, not the defendant. The court's Court Interpreters page requires parties and counsel in criminal cases to give the court notice of any need for an interpreter, so it can arrange one in time. Submit Local Form M-47, the Request for Court Interpreter, by email to the Interpreter Coordinator at interpretercoordinator@eldorado.courts.ca.gov, at the Clerk's Office counter, or by mail to the Interpreter Coordinator, Main Street Branch, 495 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667. To cancel a request, email the same address or call (530) 621-6495 at least two days before the scheduled hearing.
How do you get to an El Dorado County criminal courthouse?
Both criminal courthouses are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, their clerk's offices close at 3:30 p.m., and the court lists parking and access for each.
At the Placerville Main Street Branch, the court says there is no parking behind the courthouse; use the city parking garage just west of it or a city lot along Main Street. Wheelchair access is at the rear of the building, which is secured, and the court says the intercom at that door must be used to get in. At the South Lake Tahoe Branch, wheelchair access is at the front. Hours, parking and access for each building are on the court's Main Street Branch and South Lake Tahoe Branch pages.
Who are El Dorado County's public defender and district attorney?
El Dorado County's District Attorney maintains two offices, one in Placerville and one in South Lake Tahoe, and the Public Defender's Office serves anyone who cannot afford a lawyer.
| Office | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| District Attorney, Placerville | 778 Pacific Street, Placerville, CA 95667 | (530) 621-6472 |
| District Attorney, South Lake Tahoe | 1360 Johnson Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 | (530) 573-3100 |
If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the court to appoint one at your arraignment (Penal Code section 987(a)); a public defender represents a person who cannot afford counsel "without expense to the defendant" (Government Code section 27706(a)). The court's Criminal Division page links the county's Public Defender and Probation pages.
Does El Dorado County have collaborative or treatment courts?
Yes. The court's judicial assignments list Behavioral Health Court, Mental Health Diversion Court, Veterans Treatment Court, Family Wellness Court and a Domestic Violence Compliance Court calendar.
The court's Collaborative Courts page describes three of them. Behavioral Health Court is an intensive program for adults and transitional-aged youth with mental illness who have entered the justice system. The Veterans Treatment Court is a court-supervised program for veterans and active-duty military personnel that typically lasts 12 to 24 months, available by application through an attorney using Local Form CR-183. The Family Wellness Court is a joint program with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, using a restorative-justice approach for juvenile, dependency, domestic violence, and criminal matters. Ask your attorney whether any of these calendars could apply to your case.
El Dorado County's criminal cases raise many different concerns depending on the charge. See our California criminal defense practice overview for how the firm approaches each one. If the case began with a DUI arrest near South Lake Tahoe, our South Lake Tahoe DUI defense page explains what typically happens next.
Talk to a lawyer about your El Dorado County case
An El Dorado County criminal charge is easier to answer with a lawyer's help lined up before your assigned court date. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, 24 hours a day, with payment plans and service in Spanish. Call (800) 755-5174, or request a free consultation online.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Placerville Building C Branch hear criminal cases?
Not for criminal pretrial or trial calendars, which sit at the Placerville Main Street Branch and Department 3 in South Lake Tahoe. Building C's Department 8 does hear the Behavioral Health, Mental Health Diversion and Veterans Treatment Court calendars.
Do I need an account to search my El Dorado County case online?
Yes. The court says searching case data on its Web Portal requires an account. Without a case number, you can also submit Local Form M-6 by mail or at the clerk's counter.
How much is bail in El Dorado County?
El Dorado Superior Court's 2025 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, last revised January 21, 2025, sets a starting amount by offense. A judge can set a different amount at arraignment, and money bail must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable for that person.
Do I need a lawyer at my first court appearance?
You have the right to one. Without the means to hire a lawyer, ask the court to appoint the Public Defender's Office for you at your arraignment.
Is there a fee for a court interpreter in El Dorado County?
No. Evidence Code section 752(b)(1) makes the interpreter's cost a charge against the court, not the defendant, for anyone charged with a crime who does not understand English.
What happens if I miss my El Dorado County court date?
Failing to appear as required lets the court issue a bench warrant (Penal Code section 978.5(a)). Reach your attorney immediately, whether the missed date already happened or is about to.