What should I expect at the Kings County Courthouse?

Kings County Superior Court hears all criminal cases at one location: the Hanford Courthouse, 1640 Kings County Drive, Hanford, CA 93230, phone (559) 582-1010. The court is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; your citation or other court papers show the day and time of your hearing, and the calendar on the courthouse wall shows the department.

This guide is part of our California courthouse and jail directory. To find out whether someone was just arrested and booked in Kings County, see our Kings County Jail guide for the inmate locator and release information.

Which courthouse hears a Kings County criminal case?

Kings County Superior Court holds every criminal matter at one courthouse: the Hanford Courthouse at 1640 Kings County Drive in Hanford.

The court's own Criminal Division FAQ states it plainly: "All court matters are held at the Kings County Superior Court located at: Hanford Courthouse 1640 Kings County Drive Hanford, CA 93230." When you arrive, check the posted calendar for your name and department, since the same FAQ advises: "check the calendar on the wall for your name and the department where your case will be heard. If you do not see your name on one of the criminal calendar lists, go to the clerk's office to ask about your case."

How do you look up a Kings County criminal case online?

Kings Superior Court's Public Portal lets you search case data by case or citation number after you create an account; public searches are limited to 45 cases a day.

Go to the Kings Superior Court Public Portal, identified on its own page as a tool to "search case data from the Court's case management system." If you cannot find your case online, the court's Criminal Division FAQ gives an in-person backup: check the posted calendar on the wall at the Hanford Courthouse for your name and department, or ask at the clerk's office if your name does not appear on a calendar list.

What happens at your first court appearance?

At the arraignment, the court tells you the charge and your right to a lawyer; someone held in custody must get there within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays.

State law puts an outer limit on how long a person held in custody can wait to see a judge. Under Penal Code section 825(a)(1), that limit is "48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays," and if those hours end while the court is not in session, the limit extends to the end of the next court session on the next court day (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)). 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 48-hour clock applies to someone actually in custody; it is not a charging deadline, and it does not by itself guarantee release.

Kings County's own Criminal Division FAQ fills in what happens after that hearing, by charge level. On the felony side: "If a defendant pleads not guilty to a felony, a preliminary hearing is held. At this hearing the district attorney must show evidence that the defendant committed a felony and should be brought to trial. If the judge decides there is enough evidence, the defendant will be arraigned a second time in superior court." A felony defendant who wants to plead guilty at arraignment generally needs an attorney present, the same FAQ notes. On the misdemeanor side, the court states its trial deadline in plain terms: "The trial will be held within 30 days if the defendant is in custody or within 45 days if the defendant is not in custody, unless the defendant waives the right to a speedy trial."

Your right to a lawyer gets confirmed out loud at that same hearing (Penal Code section 858(a)); for a felony, the judge also hands over a copy of the complaint and reasonable time to line up counsel (Penal Code section 859). Read a general walkthrough of what happens at an arraignment anywhere in California at What Happens at an Arraignment in California.

How does bail work in a Kings County criminal case?

Kings Superior Court publishes 2026 felony and misdemeanor bail schedules, which set bail for an arrest without a warrant until a judge acts; a judge can set a different amount.

The court links its 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule from its Criminal Division page. Neither document prints an effective date, so confirm the amount for a specific charge with the court or your attorney before relying on it.

Treat the printed schedule as a default, not a bill. Until a defendant actually appears before a judge, bail tracks either the arrest warrant's own figure or, absent a warrant, the county's schedule; from the moment a judge sets an amount at a hearing, that judge's figure is what controls (Penal Code section 1269b(b)). Before that first appearance, the defendant, or an attorney, friend, or family member, can also apply directly to the magistrate for bail lower than the schedule, or for own recognizance release, for most charges (Penal Code section 1269c); without a change ordered within eight hours of booking, the scheduled bail applies. Two California Supreme Court decisions bracket how a judge sets or reviews that figure. In re Humphrey requires a judge who sets money bail to consider the person's ability to pay, and whether nonfinancial conditions could reasonably protect the public and the victim or reasonably assure the person's presence at trial, and In re Kowalczyk, decided in April 2026, added that outside capital cases "a trial court has the authority to deny bail only as to offenses specified in section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c)" of the Constitution, with any money bail "generally" required to be set at a figure "reasonably attainable" for that specific defendant.

The court's Criminal Division FAQ also notes a practical limit once bail is posted by bond: "If you posted a bail bond for a specific date to appear or have appeared in Court and are ordered to return you cannot change the date."

The statewide mechanics behind any bail figure, not just this county's own schedule, are covered in How Bail Amounts Are Set in California.

Can you appear remotely in a Kings County criminal case?

Penal Code section 977 sets when a defendant may appear remotely; ask the Criminal Division at (559) 582-1010 or your attorney whether a specific Kings hearing allows it.

What applies statewide is Penal Code section 977. A misdemeanor defendant can generally let a lawyer stand in, and can agree to handle the first appearance, arraignment, and plea remotely, subject to three carve-outs: no remote trials at all, a requirement to be present at arraignment and sentencing for a domestic violence misdemeanor or a section 273.6 order violation, and a judge's power to order presence at arraignment, plea or sentencing on a misdemeanor DUI. A felony defendant has the opposite default: physical presence is required at arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, trial, and sentencing, and only the defendant's waiver opens the door to a remote proceeding, a door that still stays shut for any jury or court trial, and for felony sentencing except in postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law.

What should you bring, and how do you request an interpreter?

Bring identification and any bail, citation, or jail release paperwork you already have, and if you need an interpreter, California law guarantees one at no cost in a criminal case.

The court's Criminal Division FAQ lists what to bring to a hearing, including "Bond receipts, cash bail receipts, etc." and "Jail release paperwork." Bring photo identification as well, and plan to check the posted calendar for your name and department when you arrive.

The state Constitution gives the right: "A person unable to understand English who is charged with a crime has a right to an interpreter throughout the proceedings" (Cal. Const., art. I, section 14), and the court, not the defendant, pays for it (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Kings Superior Court's own Interpreter Services page lists criminal cases among the case types for which its interpreter services are available. To get one: "You may ask the clerk at the counter or in the courtroom for an interpreter," or file a written request ahead of time; the court's Interpreter Coordinator can be reached directly at (559) 582-1010, extension 6225, and a last-minute request risks a continuance.

Who are Kings County's public defender, district attorney, and probation department?

If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the judge at your first court appearance to appoint one; the District Attorney's Office prosecutes Kings County criminal cases.

Getting a court-appointed lawyer in Kings County starts at your first court appearance. The court's Criminal Division FAQ puts it directly: "If you do not hire your own lawyer, you can ask the court to appoint one. To do this, you must go to your first court appearance and ask the judge." State law matches that practice: once someone wants a lawyer and genuinely cannot afford one, the court has to appoint counsel (Penal Code section 987(a)). The Kings County District Attorney prosecutes the case, and the Probation Department supervises people placed on probation; ask the Criminal Division at (559) 582-1010 for current contact information for either office.

Does Kings County have collaborative or treatment courts?

Kings Superior Court's division listing and Local Rules do not name a collaborative, drug, veterans, or mental health court; ask your attorney whether a treatment option fits your case.

Ask your attorney, or the Criminal Division at (559) 582-1010, whether any treatment-based program could apply to your case before you count on one.

For how the firm handles each kind of charge, see our California criminal defense practice overview and our Hanford criminal defense page.

Talk to a lawyer about your Kings County case

At a hearing in a Kings County criminal case, a judge can set bail above or below the printed schedule, so talk to a lawyer beforehand. 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

Can the clerk move my Kings County arraignment date?

Only earlier, and only in some cases. The court's criminal page says that if the date is for an arraignment and a complaint has been filed, the clerk may be able to advance the arraignment date but cannot postpone it. To change a court date otherwise, contact your attorney.

How do I clear a warrant in Kings County?

The court's criminal page says to contact your attorney, or to call the Criminal Division at (559) 582-1010 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

How much is bail in Kings County?

Before a judge acts, bail is the amount on the arrest warrant or, without a warrant, the court's 2026 felony or misdemeanor bail schedule. A judge can set a different amount at your first appearance, and money bail must generally be reasonably attainable for you.

Can bail be lowered before arraignment?

Often, yes, for most charges. Penal Code section 1269c lets the defendant, an attorney, friend, or family member apply directly to the magistrate for bail lower than the schedule, or for own recognizance release, before arraignment. Without a change ordered within eight hours of booking, the scheduled bail applies.

Can I change my court date if I posted a bail bond?

No. The court's own FAQ states that once you have posted a bail bond for a specific appearance date, or already appeared and were ordered to return, you cannot change that date on your own.

What happens if I miss my Kings County court date?

A missed court date can lead to a bench warrant (Penal Code section 978.5(a)). If you were released on a written promise to appear, willfully breaking that promise is a separate misdemeanor (Penal Code section 853.7).

Do I need a lawyer at my first court appearance?

You have the right to one. The judge confirms your right to counsel at your Kings County arraignment and at every stage afterward (Penal Code section 858(a)). If you cannot afford one, ask the judge to appoint a lawyer at that same appearance.

Does it cost anything to have a court interpreter in a criminal case?

No. In a criminal case the interpreter's pay is a charge against the court, not you (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)), and the California Constitution gives the right to an interpreter throughout the case. Kings Superior Court's Interpreter Coordinator can be reached at (559) 582-1010, extension 6225.