North Justice Center in Fullerton: What to Know for a Criminal Case

The North Justice Center at 1275 North Berkeley Avenue in Fullerton hears criminal, traffic and minor-offense cases from Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia and Yorba Linda. Appear at the justice center printed on your citation, release paperwork, bail receipt or arraignment letter, since that document controls which building and date actually apply to your case.

Which criminal cases does the North Justice Center hear, and which cities does it serve?

The North Justice Center handles traffic, minor offenses and criminal matters for eight Orange County cities; some felony and mental health hearings can be set in Santa Ana instead.

The Superior Court of California, County of Orange lists North's own cities served as Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia and Yorba Linda. The same court's Central Justice Center page adds that Central handles "various felony and mental health hearings" for every Orange County city, so part of a felony case that starts in one of North's eight cities can still be heard at Central in Santa Ana. The court's own paperwork, not a guess from the city where an arrest happened, decides which building a specific hearing is in.

Table: North Justice Center and the county's other criminal buildings, from the court's own location pages.

For the other three regional courthouses, and for countywide rules that apply no matter which building hears a case, see the firm's Orange County criminal court guide and its guide to which Orange County courthouse hears a case.

How do I find my case or court date at the North Justice Center?

Start with whatever paperwork you already have, then confirm the hearing on the court's own online tools before you drive to Fullerton.

1. Check the citation, release papers, bail receipt or arraignment letter first; a case number, department and date are often printed there already.
2. Open Cases on Calendar, set the case category to Criminal, pick North Justice Center as the location, then search by case number or last name. Hearings set more than six weeks out will not display yet.
3. For a case number you already have, Criminal and Traffic Case Access shows hearing dates and dispositions once you accept its terms; the court says this system is not the official record.
4. Without a case number, the court's Case Name Search searches by name after free enrollment and sign-in.
5. If the person is still in custody, the Sheriff's Inmate Information System needs an account too and will not show the actual charges.
6. Still stuck? Call the criminal and traffic line at (657) 622-8459; the court lists its criminal hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

What happens at arraignment at the North Justice Center?

Arraignment is the hearing where the court reads the charge and takes a plea, and anyone held in custody must reach a judge within 48 hours, Sundays and holidays excluded.

The court's criminal appearance page says appearances are generally scheduled for 8:30 a.m., so arrive in time to check in with the courtroom by then; check the posted calendar for the department and hearing time, and if the case is not posted, ask the Criminal Division Clerk's Office. The magistrate must tell a defendant the charge and the right to counsel right away, and someone who wants a lawyer but cannot afford one is entitled to appointed counsel under Penal Code 987(a); the court's own Obtaining an Attorney page notes a Financial Affidavit, form CR-105, may be required.

Penal Code 825(a)(1) sets the deadline for a person held in custody:

"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 the court is not in session, Penal Code 825(a)(2) extends the time "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," so the deadline runs through the end of that session. When the arrest happens on a Wednesday after that day's session ends, the statute allows until the following Friday, provided neither day is a court holiday. A defendant who was cited and released, rather than booked, instead goes to court on whatever date already appears on that paperwork. At arraignment, a misdemeanor defendant held in custody is entitled to release on his or her own recognizance under Penal Code 1270(a) unless the court finds on the record that it would compromise public safety or not reasonably assure the person's appearance. In a noncapital case, In re Kowalczyk (California Supreme Court, April 30, 2026) allows bail to be denied only for the offenses in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c); when money bail is still needed, it requires an amount that is generally reasonably attainable for that defendant, after weighing the defendant's ability to pay and whether nonfinancial conditions could work instead, as In re Humphrey requires. The court's 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, fixes the amounts for release before a first court appearance on felonies and misdemeanors, and a judge can set a different amount; the booking-to-bail process is covered in the firm's Orange County criminal court guide and its explanation of how California bail amounts are set.

Can I appear remotely for a hearing at the North Justice Center?

Almost always no. The court requires everyone to appear in person for a criminal hearing, with a narrow exception for one specific courtroom and cases the courtroom itself approves.

The court's own Remote Appearance Information page states the rule for Criminal cases directly: "In-person appearances are required, except for appearances in Dept. CJ1 and remote appearances approved by the courtroom. Contact the assigned court clerk to request a remote appearance." Department CJ1 is in the Orange County Men's Jail, Building 50, 550 North Flower Street in Santa Ana, not at the North Justice Center itself. Penal Code 977 separately lets a misdemeanor defendant appear through counsel and, with that defendant's agreement, remotely for most steps short of trial, though domestic violence and Penal Code 273.6 defendants must attend arraignment and sentencing, and DUI defendants can be ordered to attend; a felony defendant must be physically present at arraignment, plea, the preliminary hearing, the taking of evidence and sentencing unless that defendant has waived physical presence for a step the statute allows to be remote, and no defendant may appear remotely for a jury or court trial.

A separate, narrower option exists for misdemeanor cases only: under Local Rule 856, an attorney in good standing may handle a misdemeanor arraignment by phone or fax instead of appearing, entering a not guilty plea and setting pretrial and jury trial dates with the clerk. At the North Justice Center, that line is (657) 622-6687 for a phone arraignment and (714) 525-1034 for fax, both only between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on court days. It is not available when the defendant is in custody that day, has an outstanding warrant or a failure to appear in the case, or faces certain charges such as misdemeanor domestic violence or a DUI with a prior DUI already alleged.

Getting to the North Justice Center: address, hours and security

The courthouse keeps regular weekday hours, screens every visitor for weapons at the door, and enforces ordinary courtroom rules once you reach a department.

Table: North Justice Center contacts and hours, from the court's own location page.

The court describes North as a full security facility: everyone passes through a weapons screening device, and hand-carried items are x-rayed. Knives, pocketknives, scissors, corkscrews, mace, pepper spray and knitting needles, among other items the Sheriff's Department considers potentially dangerous, stay out of the building entirely. Inside a courtroom, the rules are plain: wear a shirt and shoes, leave food, drinks and gum outside, and silence or turn off phones and other electronics. The court's own parking map and floor plan cover getting onto the grounds and finding an entrance once you arrive. Criminal and traffic mail for North goes to 1275 North Berkeley Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832-1258.

Which public defender, district attorney and probation offices serve the North Justice Center?

The District Attorney keeps a branch inside the North Justice Center, the Public Defender's North Court office is elsewhere in Fullerton, and Probation assigns resident officers to North.

Table: North Justice Center legal offices, from each office's own contact page.

Ask the judge to appoint a lawyer at the first appearance if you cannot afford one; the Public Defender's office says a financial declaration may be requested, and when that office has a conflict, such as already representing a co-defendant, the court typically turns to the county's Alternate Defender instead. Orange County Probation states that its Resident Probation Officers team "represents probation at the County's four regional Superior Court Justice Centers: Central, Harbor, North, and West," alongside Adult Investigations staff who prepare pre-plea and sentencing reports. The court's collaborative courts page places its five Mental Health Court programs and Homeless Outreach Court at the Orange County Community Court Building and Young Adult Court in Department C1 of the Central Justice Center; it describes Adult Drug Court and DUI Court without naming a building. The firm's guide to Orange County's collaborative courts explains how eligibility and referral work for each one.

Talk to a lawyer about a North Justice Center case, and the firm's Fullerton office

The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free consultation, is available 24/7 and has payment plans for a case tied to the North Justice Center. The firm's Fullerton office is at:

Law Offices of David S. Chesley, Inc. 122 N Harbor Blvd Fullerton, CA 92832 (714) 770-8738

Call (800) 755-5174 or use the firm's contact page to reach a criminal defense lawyer about a case from Fullerton or another North Justice Center city; for a DUI, see the firm's Anaheim DUI and La Habra DUI pages.

Frequently asked questions

Is the North Justice Center the same as the Fullerton courthouse?

Yes. The Superior Court's own list of locations shows only one courthouse in Fullerton, and it is the North Justice Center at 1275 North Berkeley Avenue.

Can a lawyer handle a misdemeanor arraignment at North without me there?

Often yes, through the informal arraignment process described above, as long as you have no custody, warrant or failure-to-appear issue that day and your charge is not on the excluded list, such as an alleged prior DUI or certain domestic violence charges.

Does the North Justice Center decide my driver's license suspension after a DUI arrest?

Not directly. The court decides the criminal charge under Vehicle Code 23152 or 23153, while the DMV decides an administrative suspension separately, though under Vehicle Code 13353.2(e) an acquittal on the related charge requires the DMV to reinstate the driving privilege it suspended administratively. A DMV hearing request is due within 10 days of the suspension notice under Vehicle Code 13558(b); the firm's DMV hearing defense page explains that process.

What happens if I miss a court date at the North Justice Center?

A judge may issue a bench warrant under Penal Code 978.5, any posted bail can be declared forfeited under Penal Code 1305, and a willful failure meant to evade the court is its own separate crime. To clear a warrant, report to the Criminal Operations Department at the justice center that issued it by 8:00 a.m. on a weekday.

Do I need an interpreter request before my North Justice Center hearing?

No advance paperwork is required. The court says to ask either the Criminal Division Clerk's Office beforehand or the courtroom itself on the hearing date, and a person unable to understand English has a constitutional right to an interpreter throughout a criminal case.