What should you know about the Inglewood Courthouse for a criminal case?

Inglewood Courthouse, 1 Regent Street, Inglewood, CA 90301, hears criminal, civil, small claims, traffic and unlawful detainer cases, and is one of three Southwest District buildings the Los Angeles Superior Court operates together with Torrance Courthouse and the Torrance Annex. The main switchboard is (310) 419-1300; the Criminal Clerk's Office can be reached directly at (310) 419-1398.

Finding your case and the next date

Searching by name online costs $4.75 a try; anyone who already has the case number can take it to the Criminal Clerk's Office at (310) 419-1398.

Name searches run through the court's Public Access Online Services, where a $4.75 charge applies to every attempt, whether or not it turns up a match, using "Exact Match," "Starts With," or "Sounds Like" against records dating to 1980 for felonies and 1988 for misdemeanors; the court's FAQ says it has no plans to put bail or bond status online. The court's directory gives the Criminal Clerk's Office line as (310) 419-1398, and the Clerk's Office keeps 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except court holidays. The firm's Los Angeles County courthouse assignment guide explains how a given arrest ends up at one building rather than another.

Inglewood's place in the Southwest District

Inglewood is one of three Southwest District buildings; the court's record shows a Criminal division at Torrance Courthouse too, so an arrest may be filed there instead.

The Local Rules, Chapter 2, Rule 2.2(b), group "Torrance Courthouse... Torrance Annex... Inglewood Courthouse" as the Southwest District without drawing a city line among them inside the rule. The actual assignment rule is Rule 2.3(a)(3): a complaint goes to "the courthouse handling criminal matters which serves the city or unincorporated area where the offense is alleged to have occurred." Since the rule itself does not say which of the three buildings covers which city, the citation, notice to appear, or release paperwork from the specific case is the only dependable source for the right building and department. For how the county's twelve districts fit together, see the firm's Los Angeles County criminal court guide. Inglewood Courthouse itself hears civil, criminal, small claims, traffic, and unlawful detainer matters; the court's record lists no juvenile division here, and the court's separate Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse stands at 110 Regent Street.

What arraignment looks like, and the 48-hour clock

A person held in custody gets 48 hours, Sundays and holidays aside, before a judge must see them; arraignment is the hearing where the charge is read and plea entered.

Penal Code 825(a)(1) spells this out directly: "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 that window would close while court is not in session, subdivision (a)(2) extends it "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," and addresses a Wednesday arrest specifically: "when the defendant's arrest occurs on a Wednesday after the conclusion of the day's court session, and if the Wednesday is not a court holiday, the defendant shall be taken before the magistrate not later than the following Friday, if the Friday is not a court holiday." Someone cited and released rather than held simply follows the date on their own paperwork. The right to a lawyer attaches under Penal Code 858 and 859 from that point forward, and the plea itself goes in under Penal Code 988. A felony charge then carries a right to a preliminary hearing within 10 court days of arraignment or the plea, whichever is later, absent waiver or good cause (Penal Code 859b), with trial due within 60 days of the felony arraignment on the information or indictment, or, in a misdemeanor, within 30 days of arraignment or plea, whichever is later, for a defendant in custody and 45 days otherwise, unless time is waived or the court finds good cause (Penal Code 1382). The firm's step by step guide to a California arraignment goes through that hearing itself.

Bail before an Inglewood arraignment

Before arraignment, the court's release protocol sets $0 bail for many lower-level, non-violent offenses; a bail amount comes into play mainly for the charges it sets aside.

The court's 2026 felony bail schedule and 2026 misdemeanor bail schedule, effective January 1, 2026, open with the Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol: many lower-level arrests carry $0 bail and end in release on a promise to appear or a magistrate's decision, capital crimes (when the facts are evident or the presumption great) and section 12(b) and (c) offenses under the state Constitution get no release before arraignment, and charges listed in Penal Code 1270.1 or carrying an enhancement need a dollar amount or an open-court hearing. At arraignment the judge looks at ability to pay and nonfinancial conditions (In re Humphrey, 2021), and In re Kowalczyk (2026) limits denial of bail in noncapital cases to section 12(b) and (c) offenses while requiring money bail to be generally reasonably attainable; the firm's how California bail amounts are set answer and its Los Angeles County criminal court guide go further.

Can a hearing happen over LACourtConnect?

Inglewood's criminal courtrooms run on LACourtConnect, but no defendant joins a jury or court trial by video, and felony sentencing stays in person outside narrow exceptions (Penal Code 977).

A misdemeanor-only defendant may appear through counsel under Penal Code 977(a)(1), and, if the defendant agrees, may also attend the first appearance, arraignment, the plea and any other hearing except a jury or court trial over video. A domestic violence or Penal Code 273.6 misdemeanor still needs the defendant present at arraignment and sentencing, and a DUI judge may still order in-person appearance regardless. A felony case allows far less flexibility: physical presence is required at arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, trial evidence, and sentencing (Penal Code 977(b)(1)), and while a 977(c) waiver can move the pretrial steps to video and presence at other proceedings may be waived, two lines hold firm: "A defendant charged with a felony or misdemeanor shall not appear remotely for a jury trial or court trial," and "A defendant charged with a felony shall not appear remotely at sentencing, except for postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law" (Penal Code 977(c)(1)(D), (E)). Inglewood was included in the Superior Court's first wave of criminal courtrooms on LACourtConnect, June 2, 2025, through Microsoft Teams with no sign-up required beforehand. Using it means going to the LACourtConnect welcome page on the day of the hearing, picking Criminal, locating the hearing through a case number, calendar or name search, and checking in shortly before it starts. The platform gives no window to the public: "LACC is intended solely for remote appearances by case participants, including litigants, attorneys, and witnesses. LACC is not available for public or media observation. All nonconfidential court proceedings remain open to in-person public attendance."

Entry, hours, and parking

A weapons screening sits at the entrance to the building, and both the courthouse and its Clerk's Office keep set hours worth knowing before heading over.

The Superior Court's standing general order on court security, filed January 2, 2025, applies here exactly as it does at every county courthouse, barring items including "Firearms, replica firearms, projectile weapons, ammunition, stun guns and tasers," "Knives, bladed or sharp instruments, needles and syringes," "Flammable and chemical sprays and liquids; all aerosols including tear gas/pepper spray," and illegal drugs; its medical exemption ("Items required for medical, mobility or disability needs") reaches only the items the order marks, such as aerosols and needles. According to the court, "the courthouse is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the Clerk's Office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Except Court Holidays," and Local Rule 2.16(a) sets individual sessions for 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. unless the Presiding Judge decides otherwise. Paid public parking is available in the east parking garage at the courthouse.

Who prosecutes, and who can represent you

Inglewood misdemeanors go to the City Attorney rather than the county, and felonies stay with the District Attorney, whose adult-case line the court's directory lists here.

Inglewood is on the District Attorney's own list of cities excepted from misdemeanor prosecution, so the City Attorney's Criminal Division handles those instead, describing itself as "responsible for prosecuting all state and local misdemeanor violations occurring within the City, including the filing of complaints, coordinating discovery request, responding to evidentiary suppression motions, and conducting pre-trial negotiations, court and jury trials, and appeals to the Superior Court," reachable at (310) 412-8672.

Office directory for Inglewood Courthouse, with phone for each.

Anyone who reaches arraignment without a lawyer and cannot afford one is covered by Penal Code 987(a), which requires the court to appoint counsel, and Government Code 27706(a) commits the Public Defender to that representation "without expense to the defendant." See the firm's public defender versus private attorney answer for how the two options compare.

Consequences of a missed court date

Missing a scheduled date opens the door to a bench warrant on its own, and willfully failing to appear to dodge the case can add a separate criminal charge.

Penal Code 978.5(a) authorizes a bench warrant whenever a defendant fails to appear as required, regardless of whether release came from a citation, bail, or own recognizance. Willfully breaking a written promise to appear is its own misdemeanor under Penal Code 853.7, apart from the underlying charge. After an own recognizance release, willfully failing to appear in order to evade the court is a new misdemeanor, or felony when the case itself was a felony, under Penal Code 1320, with more than 14 days creating a presumption of intent. The same conduct following a bail release in a felony matter is a distinct felony (Penal Code 1320.5). Bail is forfeited in open court when a defendant misses a required appearance without sufficient excuse, though showing up within 180 days generally gets the forfeiture vacated and the bond exonerated (Penal Code 1305). Next steps for a warrant that is already out are in the firm's what to do about a California bench warrant answer.

Talk to a lawyer about an Inglewood Courthouse case

If you or a family member has a case headed to Inglewood 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. See also the firm's Inglewood criminal defense page.

Frequently asked questions

Does Inglewood Courthouse handle juvenile cases?

No. The court lists only civil, criminal, small claims, traffic and unlawful detainer divisions there; the court's separate Inglewood Juvenile Courthouse is at 110 Regent Street.

Who prosecutes a misdemeanor arrest in Inglewood?

The Inglewood City Attorney's Criminal Division, since the District Attorney's office excepts the city from misdemeanor prosecution; the District Attorney still handles felony charges from the same arrest.

What does an online name search of an Inglewood case cost?

$4.75 per try through Public Access Online Services, match or not, and the court's FAQ says the fee is not refunded; the Criminal Clerk's Office line is (310) 419-1398.

What if the 48-hour deadline falls while court is closed?

The clock covers only a person held in custody and counts 48 hours excluding Sundays and holidays; if it would end while court is closed, Penal Code 825(a)(2) moves it through the end of the next court session on the following court day, and a Wednesday arrest after that day's session gets until Friday, provided neither day is a court holiday.

Does my lawyer have to bring me to court in person?

Not in most misdemeanor-only cases, where counsel can appear alone, but a domestic violence or Penal Code 273.6 defendant must attend arraignment and sentencing and a DUI judge may order attendance. In a felony, you must be there in person for arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, the evidence at trial and sentencing, unless you waive that for the steps before trial, which can then go ahead by video.

How do I find out whether someone is in the Sheriff's custody?

The Sheriff's Inmate Information Center searches by name and date of birth, and its custody line is (213) 473-6100 (not for emergencies, which go to 911); records for bookings in the last two hours may not appear.