Lake County Superior Court hears felony and misdemeanor cases at the Lakeport Courthouse, 675 Lakeport Boulevard, Lakeport, CA 95453, (707) 263-2374. The Clearlake Branch, 7000-A South Center Drive, handles traffic infractions, small claims and other civil matters, and the court's calendar also holds its Drug Court there.
Which courthouse hears a criminal case in Lake County?
Lake County Superior Court hears felony and misdemeanor cases at the Lakeport Courthouse; the Clearlake Branch's calendar lists Drug Court but no arraignments, trials or other criminal calendars.
| Courthouse | Address | Phone | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeport Courthouse | 675 Lakeport Boulevard, Lakeport, CA 95453 | (707) 263-2374 | Criminal felony and misdemeanor cases, plus family law, probate, civil and other matters |
| Clearlake Branch | 7000-A South Center Drive, Clearlake, CA 95422 | (707) 994-6598 | Traffic and non-traffic infractions, small claims, limited civil unlawful detainers, child support; the court's calendar also lists Drug Court here |
The court's remote-appearance calendar, effective March 2, 2026, shows Lakeport running a felony department and a misdemeanor department, including misdemeanor arraignments and in-custody arraignments, while Clearlake's own case-type list names no criminal category and the same calendar holds the court's Drug Court there. Both courthouses keep counter and phone hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
How do I find a Lake County criminal case and court date online?
Check your own paperwork from the arrest first, use the court's own case-search page, or call the Criminal Division directly.
- Check the paperwork from the arrest: a citation, notice of hearing, signed promise to appear, or notice to appear all list the day and time you must appear.
- If you do not have that paperwork, use Lake County Superior Court's Online Case Information & Court Calendar page, which lets you search case information and view the current court calendar.
- Or call the Criminal Division directly at (707) 263-2374, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For custody status, the court's Criminal Division page lists the Lake County Jail at 4913 Helbush Drive, Lakeport, (707) 262-4240; our Lake County Jail guide covers custody in more depth, and our courthouse and jail guides by county cover other counties.
What happens at your first court date in Lake County?
At the first court date, the arraignment, the judge tells the defendant the charge and the right to a lawyer, and the defendant is asked to enter a plea.
Penal Code section 858(a) has the judge tell the defendant the charge and the right to a lawyer at every stage, and Penal Code section 988 describes the arraignment as reading the charge, handing over a copy (in a misdemeanor case, only if the defendant asks), and asking whether the defendant pleads guilty or not guilty. California law also sets an outside limit for reaching a judge when someone is held in custody, and Lake County Superior Court keeps its own combined bail schedule.
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 run out while court is not in session, the deadline extends through the end of the next court session held the following court day (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)). An arrest that happens on a Wednesday, after that day's session has already closed, follows a different timetable: provided the Wednesday is not a court holiday, the person must still reach a judge by Friday, unless Friday is also a court holiday. This is a deadline for reaching a judge, not a charging deadline and not a promise of release.
Lake County Superior Court's Uniform Bail Schedule, adopted under Penal Code section 1269b(c) and dated February 2026, covers both felony and misdemeanor bail in one document, with a $10,000 default for an unlisted felony and $1,000 for an unlisted misdemeanor, though a judge who actually sets bail at a hearing overrides whatever the schedule says (Penal Code section 1269b(b)). Before that hearing happens, Penal Code section 1269c lets the arrested person, a lawyer, a friend, or a family member ask for a lower figure or release on the person's own recognizance, with the serious and violent felonies other than residential burglary, and certain domestic violence and stalking charges, in Penal Code section 1270.1 carved out of that option. The California Supreme Court's two leading bail decisions work together: In re Humphrey (2021) forbids holding someone in custody for no reason but an inability to pay the stated figure and requires a judge who sets money bail to consider the person's ability to pay and nonfinancial conditions of release, and In re Kowalczyk (April 30, 2026) builds on that by holding that any money bail actually imposed "must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable" for the person in front of the judge, while confining outright bail denial, outside capital cases, to the narrow list in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c). See how California bail amounts are set and our bail hearings page for more, and the jail guide linked above for how bail is actually posted.
Can you appear remotely in a Lake County criminal case?
Sometimes, by Zoom, depending on the court's own calendar for that specific hearing, but state law keeps several proceedings in person regardless.
Lake County Superior Court's Remote Appearance Information page tells a party to check its posted calendar to see whether a specific hearing requires appearing in person or allows appearing by Zoom. That calendar, effective March 2, 2026, says calendars marked "(In-Person)" require appearing in person, and for the rest, "Defendants may appear by Zoom, if personal appearance is waived. Counsel may appear remotely only if their client is also appearing remotely." Felony preliminary hearings, felony sentencing, settlement conferences, misdemeanor evidentiary hearings and jury trials are marked in person. If Zoom is allowed, the court's own instructions say to review Local Rule 16, that a Zoom account is not required, that you may appear using audio alone since video is not required, and that you should join the meeting at least five minutes early using your true first and last name; recording a court proceeding without the judge's permission is unlawful. State law sets its own limits on top of whatever the court locally allows: in a misdemeanor-only case the defendant may generally appear remotely with their agreement, except for arraignment and sentencing in a domestic violence case; in a felony case, the defendant must generally be physically present at arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, trial testimony, and sentencing unless they personally waive that right, and no defendant may appear remotely for a jury or court trial, or at a felony sentencing except in postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law (Penal Code section 977).
What should you bring, and how do you get to the courthouse?
Bring the citation or court notice that shows your date and time; the Lakeport Courthouse, 675 Lakeport Boulevard, keeps counter hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.
The court's locations page gives the route: traveling north on Highway 29, take the Lakeport Blvd. off ramp, turn left onto Lakeport Blvd. and continue to the courthouse driveway at 675 Lakeport Blvd.; from Highway 20, take Highway 29 south to the same off ramp. The court says the courthouse has accommodations for the disabled. If you cannot find your department on arrival, the Criminal Division's own line, (707) 263-2374, can help.
How do you request an interpreter?
Lake County Superior Court's own instructions say to tell the judge at your hearing that you need an interpreter, or notify the court ahead of time with form INT-300, brought in person or mailed to the court location of your next hearing, and to call at least three days before your court date to confirm the request was received: Lakeport at (707) 263-2374, Clearlake at (707) 994-6598. The same page says a friend or relative cannot act as an interpreter in court. The underlying right does not depend on any particular form: the California Constitution, article I, section 14, gives anyone charged with a crime who cannot understand English the right to an interpreter throughout the proceedings, and Evidence Code section 752(b)(1) makes the cost a charge against the court, not the defendant.
Who are Lake County's public defender, district attorney, and probation department?
Lake County's Public Defender's Office was established in 2023, replacing contracted private attorneys, and the District Attorney's Office is also in Lakeport.
| Office | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Lake County Public Defender | 55 First Street, Lakeport, CA 95453 | (707) 263-0133 |
| Lake County District Attorney | 375 3rd Street, Lakeport, CA 95453 | (707) 263-2251 |
| Lake County Probation | 1220 Martin St, Lakeport, CA 95453 | (707) 262-4285 |
Probation's own page also lists a Lower Lake office at 9055 Highway 53. Penal Code sections 858 and 859 require the judge to tell a defendant about the right to counsel at arraignment, and Penal Code section 987 obligates the court to assign a lawyer when a defendant who wants one cannot afford one.
Does Lake County have collaborative or treatment courts?
Yes: the court's calendar lists a Drug Court at the Clearlake Branch and a Veteran's Court in Lakeport, and its Local Rules set out a Mental Health Court process.
The court's remote appearance calendar, effective March 2, 2026, lists a Veteran's Court calendar in Lakeport and a Drug Court calendar at the Clearlake Branch, and its Local Rules of Court, effective January 1, 2026, lay out a Mental Health Court and Mental Health Pretrial Diversion process step by step, down to its own local forms, LK-905 and LK-914. Whether a particular charge could fit that track is a question for a defense lawyer who has actually read the file; our criminal defense lawyer page explains how the firm defends a criminal case.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my Lake County court date if I lost my paperwork?
Call the Criminal Division at (707) 263-2374, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or use the court's Online Case Information & Court Calendar page.
How much is bail in Lake County?
Lake County Superior Court's Uniform Bail Schedule, dated February 2026, covers both felony and misdemeanor bail, with a $10,000 default for an unlisted felony and $1,000 for an unlisted misdemeanor. The schedule is only a starting figure, since a judge who actually sets bail can order a different amount, and money bail "must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable" (In re Kowalczyk, 2026).
Do I need a lawyer at my first Lake County court appearance?
You are entitled to one either way. The judge has to inform you of the right to counsel at arraignment, and if you want a lawyer but cannot afford one, the court assigns you one under Penal Code section 987.
Does the Clearlake Branch handle any criminal cases?
Only its Drug Court calendar. The court's case-type list for Clearlake names traffic and non-traffic infractions, small claims, limited civil unlawful detainers and child support matters, and its calendar lists Drug Court there; arraignments and trials are in Lakeport.
What happens if I miss my Lake County court date?
Missing a court date after release on a citation, bail, or your own recognizance can lead to a bench warrant, and willfully breaking a written promise to appear is itself a separate misdemeanor, whatever happens to the original charge. If bail was posted and the absence was without sufficient excuse, the court must declare it forfeited, though a defendant who appears within 180 days can have the forfeiture vacated.
Talk to a lawyer
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, including for a Lake County case with a court date already set. Call (800) 755-5174, request a free consultation online, with payment plans available and service in Spanish.