Mono County Courthouse: Finding Your Court Date

Mono County hears criminal cases at both of its courthouses, in Bridgeport and in Mammoth Lakes. The Bridgeport Courthouse is at 278 Main Street, (760) 924-5444, and the Mammoth Lakes location, the South County Branch, is at 100 Thompsons Way. Criminal cases are heard in Mammoth Lakes on Mondays and in Bridgeport on Tuesdays.

Which courthouse hears a criminal case in Mono County?

Both Mono County courthouses hear criminal cases, Mammoth Lakes on Mondays and Bridgeport on Tuesdays; your court papers give the date and place of your hearing.

The court's Criminal Division page says criminal cases, including felonies, misdemeanors and infractions, are heard in Mammoth Lakes on Mondays only and in Bridgeport on Tuesdays only, and that you should arrive at 8:30 a.m. to be added to that day's calendar. Both locations share the court's general phone number, (760) 924-5444, answered only 9:00 a.m. to noon; a question specifically about a criminal matter can also go to criminal@mono.courts.ca.gov. The notice to appear, the citation, or the court clerk is the reliable way to learn which courthouse a specific case was filed in. To check whether someone is in custody, the court's Criminal Division page says to call the Mono County Jail at (760) 932-7549, and our Mono County Jail guide has more; for other counties, see our courthouse and jail guides by county.

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

Mono County Superior Court has no public online case-search tool; without a case number, a name search needs a paid request.

Mono County Superior Court's own online services page does not offer a public case-search portal. If you already have a case number, call the court or raise it with the clerk's office; if you do not have one, the court's name searches and records requests page says a clerk does every search and a name search costs $15. The court also posts each courthouse's calendar every Friday afternoon for the following week on its Court Calendars page, with the Zoom link for each day.

What happens at your first court date in Mono County?

At the arraignment, the judge explains your rights and the charges, takes your plea, and can set or change bail.

For someone held in custody, 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 closed, Penal Code section 825(a)(2) extends the deadline through the end of the next court session on the following court day, and a Wednesday arrest, once that day's session has closed and as long as the Wednesday is not a court holiday, instead moves the deadline to the following Friday, unless Friday is also a court holiday. This is when someone must see a judge, not when charges must be filed, and it is not a promise of release.

Mono County Superior Court's own Criminal Division page describes that first hearing directly: the judge tells the defendant about their constitutional rights and explains the charges, and the defendant is asked to plead guilty, not guilty, or, in some cases, nolo contendere, while bail "may be raised or lowered."

The schedule behind that number is the court's 2026 bail schedule, Standing Order 26-01, filed March 23, 2026, under Penal Code section 1269b(c), and its misdemeanor table is unusual: most unlisted misdemeanors carry $0 bail rather than a flat dollar default, and an unlisted wobbler charged as a misdemeanor is $10,000; any felony the schedule does not list is $20,000. Whatever the printed number says, Mono's own order ties the actual amount at a first appearance to the judge, "fixed... at the time of the appearance," not to the schedule automatically. That instruction tracks constitutional law the order cites by name: In re Humphrey (2021), which requires a judge who sets money bail to consider the person's ability to pay and nonfinancial conditions of release, rather than setting a number that locks someone up by default. In re Kowalczyk, decided by the California Supreme Court on April 30, 2026, adds a second piece: outside capital cases, bail can be denied altogether, as opposed to merely set high, only for the specific offenses California Constitution article I, section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c) describe, and whenever money bail is used, the amount must generally be reasonably attainable for that person. See how California bail amounts are set and what happens at an arraignment for the fuller statewide picture.

Can you appear remotely in a Mono County criminal case?

The court's own page allows remote appearance in many criminal matters, but state law still keeps several steps in person.

Mono County Superior Court's own remote appearances page says that "pursuant to Penal Codes 977 and 977.2, defendants and counsel in misdemeanor and felony criminal matters may appear remotely," and that "all parties may appear remotely in infraction matters consistent with the requirements of Penal Code section 1428.5." The court's own instructions say the Zoom link for a hearing is on the Court Calendar, matched to the appearance date and courtroom.

Penal Code section 977.2 specifically covers a defendant already serving a state prison sentence who is appearing in a different, pending case by video; it does not cover every remote request. The general defendant rule is Penal Code section 977: in a misdemeanor-only case, the defendant may generally appear through counsel and, with the defendant's agreement, by remote technology for most proceedings, except that a domestic violence case requires the defendant's own presence at arraignment and sentencing and a judge may order presence in a DUI case; in a felony case, the defendant must be physically present at arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, trial testimony and sentencing unless the defendant waives that right, but 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. Ask the clerk's office, (760) 924-5444, or your lawyer whether a specific upcoming hearing qualifies.

What should you bring and know before going to court in Mono County?

Bring photo identification and your court papers, and expect weapons screening and a dress code; both courthouses have elevators to their second-floor courtrooms.

The court's Criminal Division page says to bring a valid identification document, such as a driver's license, passport or other picture identification, and papers such as your notice of hearing, bond or cash bail receipts, and jail release paperwork. Both courthouses are full-security buildings: everyone passes through a weapons-screening device, hand-carried items are x-rayed, and shorts, tank tops, crop tops and bare feet are not allowed. When you arrive, check the calendar on the wall for your name and courtroom, and ask at the clerk's office if your name is not listed. The Mammoth Lakes Courthouse, reached from Highway 395 by Highway 203 and Thompsons Way, is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon; the Bridgeport Courthouse, a historic white building on the north side of Highway 395 (Main Street), is open Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Each provides elevator service to its second-floor courtrooms and offices.

How do you request an interpreter in a Mono County criminal case?

Ask the clerk at the counter or in the courtroom, or turn in the court's request form, as early as possible; the court always provides interpreters in criminal cases.

A person charged with a crime who cannot understand English has a right to an interpreter throughout the case (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)). The court's Interpreter Services page says interpreters will always be provided by the court in criminal cases. Ask the clerk at the counter or in the courtroom, or fill out the court's Interpreter Request Form and bring it to the clerk's office or email it; the Interpreter Coordinator answers at (760) 924-5444, 9:00 a.m. to noon on weekdays. Ask early: if no interpreter is available at the hearing, the case may be continued. The same page has complaint forms in eleven languages, and the Judicial Council's guide, Ask for an interpreter, explains the general steps.

Who are Mono County's district attorney and probation department, and how do you get a court-appointed lawyer?

The district attorney and probation department each keep offices in both Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes, and an unrepresented defendant can ask the court to appoint a lawyer.

The District Attorney's Mammoth Lakes office keeps regular hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Probation Department keeps two offices, at 57 Bryant Street in Bridgeport and 1290 Tavern Road in Mammoth Lakes, both reached at (760) 932-5570. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the court to appoint one at arraignment: the judge must tell you of your right to counsel (Penal Code sections 858 and 859), and Penal Code section 987 requires the court to appoint counsel for a defendant who wants one and cannot afford one.

Does Mono County have collaborative or treatment courts?

Mono County Superior Court's pages name no drug court or other collaborative criminal calendar, so ask a lawyer about diversion; CARE Court is a separate mental health process.

The Bridgeport courthouse page lists CARE Court among the cases it serves; that is a separate process under the CARE Act for adults with certain serious mental disorders (Welfare and Institutions Code section 5972), not a criminal treatment calendar. Ask a criminal defense lawyer directly whether a specific charge could qualify for a diversion program under state law, such as the mental health or military diversion statutes, or contact the court's criminal inquiries line, criminal@mono.courts.ca.gov.

Frequently asked questions

How much is bail in Mono County?

Mono County Superior Court's 2026 bail order, Standing Order 26-01, sets a starting figure by offense, with most unlisted misdemeanors at $0 bail and an unlisted wobbler charged as a misdemeanor at $10,000. A judge can set a different amount at arraignment, and money bail actually set must generally be reasonably attainable (In re Kowalczyk, 2026).

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

You have the right to one. The judge must tell you about your right to counsel at arraignment (Penal Code sections 858 and 859), and if you want a lawyer and cannot afford one, Penal Code section 987 requires the court to appoint counsel.

Can I change my Mono County court date?

Not if you posted a bail bond for that date or a judge ordered you to return; if you have a lawyer, your lawyer handles any change. If the date is an arraignment on a filed complaint, the court says the Criminal Division clerk may be able to move it: call (760) 924-5444, 9:00 a.m. to noon. Without a lawyer, appear on the date set, or a warrant may be issued.

Where is the Mono County Probation Department?

It has two offices, at 57 Bryant Street in Bridgeport and 1290 Tavern Road in Mammoth Lakes, with one main number for both, (760) 932-5570; call before you go.

Can I ask for a lower bail amount before my Mono County arraignment?

Yes. Under Penal Code section 1269c, the arrested person, a lawyer, or a friend or family member can ask a judge for a lower amount or own recognizance release, except for the offenses listed in Penal Code section 1270.1.

What happens if I miss my Mono County court date?

The court's Criminal Division page says the judge may issue a bench warrant for your arrest. Contact your lawyer right away; without one, contact the Criminal Division at (760) 924-5444, 9:00 a.m. to noon. To clear a warrant in person, the court says to come at 8:30 a.m. on a non-holiday Monday in Mammoth Lakes or a non-holiday Tuesday in Bridgeport.

Talk to a lawyer about your Mono County case

If you or a family member has a criminal case in Mono County, talk to a lawyer before the arraignment date at either Bridgeport or Mammoth Lakes. 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, request a free consultation online, or visit our criminal defense lawyer page.