What should I expect at the Marin County Courthouse?

Marin County's only criminal courthouse is the Hall of Justice at the Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. Every Marin County Superior Court criminal case, from arraignment through trial, is heard there, and the Criminal Clerk's Office is in Room 113, phone (415) 444-7070.

Which courthouse hears a Marin County criminal case?

Marin's Superior Court hears every criminal case at one location, the Hall of Justice at the Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael.

The court's Criminal Division page is plain about attendance: "Misdemeanors, felonies, and warrants all require a mandatory court appearance. Extensions will not be granted." Appear on the date and time printed on the release paper or arraignment letter. The Marin County Jail is a separate building at 13 Peter Behr Drive in San Rafael; our Marin County Jail guide covers booking, bail, and release there. If the arrest happened somewhere else in California, see our courthouse and jail guides by county to find the right one.

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

Marin's Online Traffic/Criminal Case Lookup Portal finds a case by case number, driver's license number, or citation number; on your court date, the posted calendar names your courtroom.

1. Go to the court's Online Traffic/Criminal Case Lookup Portal, which its own page calls the "Marin County Superior Court Traffic and Criminal Division" lookup.
2. Choose to search by case number, driver's license number, or citation number, depending on what you have.
3. If your case does not appear, check the posted court calendar for your name and courtroom, or contact the Criminal Clerk's Office directly.

What happens at your first court appearance in Marin County?

At arraignment, a judicial officer tells you the charges and your rights, gives you a copy of the accusatory document, and takes your plea.

The court's own Criminal Division page describes the arraignment as "the first court appearance," at which "a Judicial Officer informs the defendant/attorney" of the charges and constitutional rights, provides a copy of the complaint, and takes a plea of not guilty, guilty, or no contest. State law backs this up: the judge must immediately tell a defendant the charge and the right to counsel at every stage (Penal Code section 858(a)); on a felony, the judge must also hand over a copy of the complaint, ask whether the defendant wants a lawyer, and allow reasonable time to get one (Penal Code section 859). The court's own page also warns what happens if you skip a required date: "the court may order any, or all of the following actions: Forfeiture of bail or bond. Issuance of a warrant. Suspension of the defendant's drivers license. An additional violation alleging a failure to appear." For a general walkthrough that applies statewide, see What Happens at an Arraignment in California.

For someone kept in jail, that first appearance has a deadline. Penal Code section 825(a)(1) says the person "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." Saturdays count. If the 48 hours end while court is not in session, the time runs through the end of the next court session on the following court day (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)). An arrest on a Wednesday after that day's session has closed, when the Wednesday is not a court holiday, means a hearing by Friday, unless Friday is a court holiday. The rule covers a person held in custody, not someone cited and released, and it is a deadline to see a judge, not a deadline to file charges or a promise of release.

How does bail work in a Marin County criminal case?

A Marin County judge can set bail at the arraignment, and that figure then replaces whatever the county's printed schedule said.

Before anyone sees a judge, bail starts at the amount on the arrest warrant or, with no warrant, the court's Felony Bail Schedule or Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, both dated January 2026 and in effect since January 1, 2026 under the court's signed Order 25-02. Once the judge acts at a court appearance, the judge's own figure controls (Penal Code section 1269b(b)). Two California Supreme Court cases guide that decision. Under In re Humphrey, a judge cannot jail someone solely because of an unaffordable bail amount without first weighing the person's ability to pay and whether a nonfinancial condition would work instead. Under In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, a judge in a noncapital case can deny bail entirely only for the narrow offenses listed in article I, section 12(b) and (c) of the California Constitution, and any money bail actually set must generally be "reasonably attainable" for that person. For the full statewide explanation, see how California bail amounts are set; for how to post bail at the jail itself, see our Marin County Jail guide.

Do you have to appear in person for a Marin County criminal case?

Marin requires an in-person appearance at the first arraignment; after that, the court allows Zoom for non-evidentiary hearings unless the judge orders otherwise, within the limits of state law.

The court's Virtual Courtrooms page says: "Criminal arraignment proceedings require an initial in-person appearance by defendant and or counsel. Appearances thereafter can be made via Zoom." For help joining a Zoom hearing, the page gives videoappearance@marin.courts.ca.gov.

Under state law, on a misdemeanor-only case, a lawyer can usually appear for the defendant, and with the defendant's agreement the first appearance, arraignment, and plea can sometimes be handled remotely, except a misdemeanor domestic violence case still requires the defendant's presence at arraignment and sentencing, and a misdemeanor DUI case can be ordered to require the defendant's presence as well (Penal Code section 977(a)). On a felony, the defendant must be physically present at arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, the taking of trial evidence, and sentencing, unless the defendant waives that right; even with a waiver, a defendant generally may not appear remotely for a jury or court trial, and a felony defendant may not appear remotely at sentencing, except for postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law (Penal Code section 977(b) and (c)). Confirm with the Criminal Clerk's Office at (415) 444-7070, or your attorney, whether a specific hearing can be handled by video before planning on it.

What should you bring to the Marin County courthouse, and where do you park?

Bring identification and your paperwork, such as jail release papers, a notice to appear, a bail receipt or an arraignment letter; Civic Center parking is free all day.

That list comes from the court's Criminal Division page, which also says shirt and shoes are required in the courtroom, weapons are not allowed in the courthouse, and cell phones must be turned off. The court's Contact Us page gives the street address, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903, and free all-day parking: the general lot is reached by heading north on Civic Center Drive and turning left onto Peter Behr Drive, and disabled parking by turning left onto Vera Schultz Drive.

How do you ask for an interpreter?

If you or a family member cannot understand English, the California Constitution guarantees an interpreter throughout a criminal case: "A person unable to understand English who is charged with a crime has a right to an interpreter throughout the proceedings" (California Constitution, article I, section 14). The cost is a charge against the court, not the defendant (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Marin's Interpreter Services Division page says the court covers the cost in all case types and asks for requests as early as possible by email to interpreter@marin.courts.ca.gov, with your name, case number, language and hearing date.

Who handles a Marin County criminal case: the public defender, district attorney, and probation department?

The District Attorney prosecutes the case, the Public Defender can represent you if you cannot afford a lawyer, and the Probation Department supervises people placed on probation.

The Marin County District Attorney's Office is at 3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 145, San Rafael, CA 94903, phone (415) 473-6450, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you want a lawyer and cannot afford one, the court must appoint counsel (Penal Code section 987(a)), and a county public defender represents that person "without expense to the defendant" (Government Code section 27706(a)). The court's Resources page links the county's Public Defender and Probation Department pages on marincounty.gov.

Does Marin County have a collaborative or treatment court?

Yes. The court runs Adult Drug Court, STAR mental health court and Veterans Treatment Court, and each one starts only after a guilty plea.

The court's Collaborative Justice Courts page says all of Marin's therapeutic courts are "post plea": defendants plead guilty before they are admitted, and the program is how they serve probation. Adult Drug Court runs about 12 months in four phases, with treatment, drug testing and regular court appearances. STAR Court is for defendants with serious mental illness who choose it instead of traditional supervised probation; it averages 18 months in three phases. Veterans Treatment Court connects veterans charged with crimes who have a substance use disorder or serious mental illness with treatment in the community. The court's judicial assignments also list a Community Court calendar. Eligibility depends on the charge and the person, so ask your attorney whether a program could fit.

For how the firm handles a criminal charge generally, see our California criminal defense practice overview, and for a case that involves driving under the influence, our San Rafael DUI lawyer page explains what a DUI conviction can mean in Marin County.

Talk to a lawyer about your Marin County case

A Marin County criminal case is decided by a judge, not a printed schedule, when it comes to bail, so talk to a lawyer before you appear in court. 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.

Frequently asked questions

How soon will someone held in the Marin County Jail see a judge?

Within 48 hours of arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays, for a person held in custody (Penal Code section 825(a)(1)). If that time ends while court is closed, it runs through the end of the next court session on the following court day, and a Wednesday arrest after court closes means a hearing by Friday, if neither the Wednesday nor the Friday is a court holiday. Someone cited and released gets a court date on the citation instead.

How much is bail in a Marin County criminal case?

Before a judge sees the case, bail is the amount on the arrest warrant or the court's felony or misdemeanor bail schedule, dated January 2026 and effective January 1, 2026; the misdemeanor schedule sets $839 for any misdemeanor it does not list. A judge can set a different amount once the case reaches court, and money bail must generally be reasonably attainable for that person.

What happens if I miss my Marin County court date?

The court's own page lists the possible consequences: forfeiture of bail or bond, a warrant, suspension of your driver's license, and an additional violation alleging a failure to appear; the failure-to-appear crimes require a willful failure (Penal Code sections 853.7, 1320 and 1320.5). Call your attorney right away if you missed, or expect to miss, a court date.

Do I need a lawyer at my first court appearance?

Having a lawyer is your right, not a requirement. A judicial officer informs you of your rights at arraignment, and state law requires the court to appoint a lawyer if you want one and cannot afford one (Penal Code section 987(a)).

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

No. The cost of a court interpreter is a charge against the court in a criminal case, not the defendant (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)), and Marin's own Interpreter Services Division confirms interpreters are available in all case types.

How do I pay a criminal fine at the Marin County courthouse?

In Room 113, by mail, or by phone. Cash is accepted only in person in Room 113, Monday through Friday; checks, cashier's checks and money orders are payable to Marin County Superior Court; card payments carry a convenience fee and can be made by phone at (415) 444-7070 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.