What Happens at the Mendocino County Courthouse?

Mendocino County Superior Court hears criminal cases at the Mendocino County Courthouse, 100 North State Street in Ukiah, and at the Ten Mile Branch, 700 South Franklin Street in Fort Bragg, whose courtroom hears the Ten Mile area's felony and misdemeanor cases. Both use the Criminal Clerk's Office line, (707) 463-4661.

Which courthouse hears criminal cases in Mendocino County?

Felony and misdemeanor cases are heard in Ukiah and at the Ten Mile Branch in Fort Bragg, and both buildings list the same Criminal Clerk's Office number.

The court's own Calendar Plan sets felony and misdemeanor calendars in Ukiah and a felony and misdemeanor calendar for the Ten Mile area at the Ten Mile Branch, so a case can be heard in either building; the citation or notice to appear says which one. Other department lines for the Ukiah courthouse include Civil, (707) 468-2003; Family Law, (707) 468-2001; Juvenile, (707) 468-2006; and Administration, (707) 463-4664. For a different county's criminal court, see our courthouse and jail guides by county.

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

The court's Case Index page points to its county-wide online index on re:SearchCA, and its payment site finds a case by citation number, case number, or name and birthdate.

Mendocino County Superior Court's Case Index page links its present-day county-wide index on re:SearchCA, plus older indexes by court and year; the court says using the index to find a case number saves the $15.00 records search fee the clerk charges to look one up. The court's Online Payments page, run through municipalonlinepayments.com, lets you search a citation or case by citation number, case number, or name and date of birth, with a convenience fee added automatically to any payment made that way. The court also publishes separate pages for viewing a case file and viewing court case records if you need the record itself.

What happens at your first Mendocino County court date?

Penal Code section 825 requires that a person held in custody after an arrest be taken before a judge within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays.

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 the 48 hours run out while court is not in session, the deadline moves through the end of the next court session on the following court day (Penal Code section 825(a)(2)), and someone arrested on a Wednesday after court closes 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 not a promise of release. At arraignment, the judge must tell the defendant the charge and the right to a lawyer at every stage (Penal Code section 858), and in a felony case must give the defendant a copy of the complaint and ask whether the defendant wants a lawyer (Penal Code section 859). Mendocino also runs its own Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol for many lower-level, non-violent arrests, which can mean release before arraignment without money bail; the court's own Felony Bail Schedule, effective August 6, 2026, describes it, though its pre-arraignment amounts and categories are not binding on the judge at arraignment. When a judge sets money bail, In re Humphrey (2021) requires the judge to consider the person's ability to pay and nonfinancial alternatives, and In re Kowalczyk (April 30, 2026) holds that money bail must generally be reasonably attainable and that, outside capital cases, bail may be denied only for the offenses in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c). See how California bail amounts are set for the statewide rule behind that, our Mendocino County Jail guide for how custody and bail work in more detail, and what happens at arraignment generally. Missing a later court date can lead to a bench warrant and, if willful, a separate crime.

Can you appear remotely in a Mendocino County criminal case?

A judge must approve a remote appearance in advance; criminal defendants file local form MCR-115 at least two business days before the hearing.

Mendocino County Superior Court's own remote appearances page says a criminal defendant who wants to appear remotely must be approved in advance by the judge, using local form MCR-115, filed at the clerk's office or emailed to Court Administration no later than noon two business days before the hearing. The Ten Mile Branch in Fort Bragg has a room set aside for appearing remotely in a Ukiah hearing; the court tells people using it to arrive ten minutes early and ask the clerk to let them in. State law sets the outer limits for a felony defendant regardless of local process. Penal Code section 977 requires a felony defendant to be physically present at arraignment, at the time of plea, during the preliminary hearing, during the evidence portions of trial, and at the time of sentencing, unless the defendant waives that right. On top of that physical-presence rule, the statute separately bars any defendant from appearing remotely for a jury trial or a court trial, and bars a felony defendant from appearing remotely at sentencing, except for postconviction relief proceedings or as otherwise provided by law.

What should you bring, how do you get there, and how do you get an interpreter?

Bring your citation or notice to appear, expect security screening, check each courthouse's parking and bus details, and request an interpreter on local form MMC-110.

The citation or notice to appear names the time and place you must appear (Penal Code section 853.6). Everyone entering either courthouse goes through security screening, and weapons, alcohol and drugs are prohibited. In Ukiah, free 1-1/2, 2 and 5 hour parking is on the streets around the courthouse, with limited long-term parking in public lots at West Perkins and Oak Street and at Main and Standley Streets; MTA route 9 stops west of the courthouse at West Perkins and North School Streets, and the Perkins Street entrance is wheelchair accessible. At the Ten Mile Branch, free parking is on the south side of the Justice Center (the lot to the north is marked County Employee Parking Only), MTA stops at Safeway about half a block away, and the building and courtroom are wheelchair accessible.

A person charged with a crime who cannot understand English has a right to an interpreter throughout the case under the California Constitution, article I, section 14, and in a criminal case the interpreter's cost is a charge against the court, not the defendant (Evidence Code section 752(b)(1)). Mendocino County Superior Court's own interpreter process uses local form MMC-110, filed with the clerk's office or emailed to interpreter.coordinator@mendocino.courts.ca.gov; the court asks for ten days' advance notice when possible.

Who prosecutes and defends a Mendocino County criminal case?

The District Attorney, the Public Defender and Adult Probation all keep Ukiah offices, and the Public Defender and Probation also have offices in Fort Bragg.

The Mendocino County District Attorney's Office prosecutes criminal cases from its Ukiah office in the courthouse at 100 North State Street, Room G-10, Ukiah, CA 95482, (707) 463-4211. The Mendocino County Public Defender runs a main office at 175 S. School Street, Ukiah, CA 95482, (707) 234-6950, and a separate Coast Office at 700 S. Franklin, Suite E, Fort Bragg, CA 95437, (707) 964-0606; a defendant who wants a lawyer and cannot afford one has the court appoint one (Penal Code section 987). For a private defense lawyer, see our criminal defense lawyer page. Adult Probation's Ukiah office is at 585 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, CA 95482, with a Fort Bragg office at 700 S. Franklin, Room 107, and the Probation Department lists (707) 234-6900 for both.

Does Mendocino County have collaborative or treatment courts?

Yes. Mendocino's court lists five collaborative programs: Adult Drug Court, Behavioral Health Court, CARE, Family Dependency Drug Court, and Veterans Court.

Mendocino County Superior Court describes these as problem-solving courts that pair judicial supervision with monitored support services. Adult Drug Court is a court-supervised treatment program for non-violent offenders working toward abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Behavioral Health Court connects defendants who have a serious mental illness with community treatment and ongoing court supervision. The CARE Act program (Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment) lets specific petitioners request voluntary treatment, services, support and a housing plan for adults with certain untreated severe mental illnesses. Family Dependency Drug Court works with parents in the dependency system whose substance use contributed to a child's removal from the home. Veterans Court provides services and supervision to veterans with mental health issues connected to military service who have a pending criminal case. Ask your attorney whether a particular charge could qualify for one of these calendars.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Ten Mile Branch in Fort Bragg handle criminal cases?

Yes. The court's Calendar Plan gives the Ten Mile Branch courtroom a felony and misdemeanor calendar for the Ten Mile area, including arraignments, preliminary hearings and jury trials. Your citation or notice to appear names the court, and the Criminal Clerk's Office, (707) 463-4661, serves both buildings.

What happens if I miss a Mendocino County court date?

A judge may issue a bench warrant (Penal Code section 978.5), and bail that was posted can be forfeited if there is no sufficient excuse (Penal Code section 1305). Willfully failing to appear is a separate crime under Penal Code sections 853.7, 1320 and 1320.5. Call your attorney right away if you missed, or expect to miss, a date.

How much is bail in Mendocino County?

Mendocino County Superior Court's 2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules, effective August 6, 2026, set a starting amount, and many lower-level arrests fall under the court's own Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol instead. Neither is binding on the judge at arraignment, and under In re Kowalczyk (2026) money bail must generally be an amount the person can reasonably attain.

Can someone be released before arraignment in Mendocino County without paying bail?

It can, for many lower-level arrests. The court's Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol, printed with its Felony Bail Schedule, decides whether an eligible person is released without conditions, released with nonfinancial conditions, or held until arraignment, and it reduces reliance on money bail for certain misdemeanors and non-violent, low-level felonies. Zero-dollar bail is not available for serious or violent offenses.

Do I need a lawyer at my first Mendocino County court appearance?

Having one is strongly recommended, and the court is required to raise the question itself: Penal Code sections 858 and 859 put the judge on the hook for informing you of the right to counsel the moment you show up for arraignment. Money is not supposed to stand in the way, either; once you tell the court you want a lawyer and cannot pay for one, Penal Code section 987 obligates the judge to assign counsel.

Where can I find Mendocino County Superior Court's self-help resources?

The court's own Self-Help page covers topics such as restraining orders, divorce, child custody and support, guardianship, small claims, and name or gender changes. For general criminal-case information, the court's criminal page links to the statewide California Courts Self-Help Center.

Talk to a lawyer about your Mendocino County case

The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, with payment plans and service in Spanish, for anyone with a court date or a family member's case in Mendocino County. Call (800) 755-5174 or request a free consultation online. For a DUI charge, see our Ukiah DUI lawyer page; if someone is still in custody, see our Mendocino County Jail guide.